ICYMI: Medica, Padres, Crush Visiting Braves In Series Opener

Could it get much better for Tommy Medica? What a way to open not only a home series, but the month of August, as he led the San Diego Padres Friday night with a 5-hit effort, along with recording his first multi-home run game, as the Padres demolished the visiting Atlanta Braves, 10-1 in the series opener of a three-game set at Petco Park. For all the complaining about Eric Stults, he was on his A-game Friday night, allowing only an unearned run, while tossing 6 1/3 innings, striking out 3, and walking 4. It was Stults’ first victory since May 10th of this season.

Medica got the Padres going early, with a 2-run bomb in the bottom of the first inning off of Braves’ starter Mike Minor. Minor had a night he’d rather forget about, allowing 5 runs, on 9 hits in only 5 innings. The loss moved his season record to 4-7. In the bottom of the third, Medica realized he was going to have a special night, as he hit his second long ball of the night, a 438-foot shot into the upper tank in left field, giving the Padres a 5-0 lead, and they were off and running.

Even shortstop Everth Cabrera got into the action. Having been activated from the disabled list earlier this week after fighting hamstring issues, the Friars middle infielder recorded four hits of his own. He and Medica had 9 of the Padres’ 20 hits on the evening. Chris Nelson also had a three-hit night, and Will Venable, coming on as a pinch-hitter, had a pair of hits as well. The Padres’ bullpen recorded 2 2/3 innings of shut out baseball to seal the victory for Stults and the Padres.

The series continues Saturday evening at 5:40 p.m. PDT, as the Braves send Ervin Santana (10-6, 3.63 ERA) to the mound, in an attempt to quiet the now ferocious Padres’ bats. He goes against Ian Kennedy (8-9, 3.66 ERA), who remains a Padres’ starter for now, but could find himself on the waiver wire depending on what the new general manager decides to do. Several teams were interested in Kennedy, but the Padres, knowing that Kennedy is both affordable and under team control through next season, were asking a high return price for the right-hander.

Keep The Faith.