Top 10 Games of 2015

2. May 29th, Derek Norris Walks It Off in Grand Style

The Padres were playing the tough Pirates and stumbled to a 2-0 deficit. James Shields had a tough 3rd inning, giving up two singles to start the inning then hitting a batter with a pitch. Then Pedro Alvarez singled in two runs. Shields was able to regroup and pitch 6 good innings. The Padres were able to tie it up in the 7th with a two-run double by Abraham Almonte. The score remained tied into the bottom of the ninth.

The inning started with two walks and an error, loading the bases for Derek Norris. Norris had endured a rough night, striking out four times. The winning run was just 90 feet. Norris decided to take it into his own hands and launched a 1-0 pitch deep into left-center for a walk-off grand slam. The Padres won 6-2 in one of the most exciting moments of the entire season.

1. August 14th, Kemp Hits For Padres’ First Cycle

Did you expect anything else?

Matt Kemp was riding a hot streak into Coors Field that day. Kemp started with a bang, hitting a two-run homerun in the first inning. He then singled in the 3rd and the Padres had a 3-2 lead heading into the fourth. The Rockies tied it in the 4th before Norris gave the lead right back to the Padres with a solo shot. Kemp broke the tie in the 7th with a double, scoring Solarte.

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There was some doubt as to whether he would get one more chance as he was 3 for 4. He did get one more chance in the top of the 9th with the Padres leading 8-5. Many Padre players have fell a triple shy of the cycle. That is the most common way to fall short as the triple is the rarest of the four feats needed. However, Kemp drove a 1-0 pitch to dead center, over the head of Charlie Blackmon. It was off to the races. The ball rattled around the warning track, allowing Kemp with decent speed to race around second and slide into third for the first cycle in San Diego Padres history. The announcers went crazy and the few Padres fans in attendance and even some Rockies fans stood up and cheered as they witnessed history. It was easily the most memorable moment for the 2015 Padres.