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Padres Press Clips Monday, September 4, 2017

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Pirela, Padres beat Dodgers in series-winning victory UT San Diego Lin 2

Renfroe slams El Paso into playoff spot UT San Diego Sanders 4

Craig Stammen nominated for Bob Feller Act of Valor Award UT San Diego Lin 6

Perdomo set for rematch in opener with Cards MLB.com Ruiz 7

Padres chop Wood for series win over LA MLB.com Cassavell/Gurnick 8

Pirela savors 2nd-deck homer off Wood MLB.com Ruiz 11

More to like than 3 straight wins over Dodgers Padres.com Center 13

Erlin, Rea on track to rejoin Padres in spring MLB.com Cassavell 16

Aybar, Pirela homer off Wood in Padres' 6-4 win vs Associated Press AP 18

Dodgers

Padres On Deck: Renfroe, Cruz Lead AAA-El Paso to Title FriarWire Center 20

This Day in Padres History, 9/4 FriarWire Center 23

Tatis has breakout performance for Missions MiLB.com Gilberto 24

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Pirela, Padres beat Dodgers in series-winning victory Dennis Lin

Alex Wood on Sunday returned to the mound at Petco Park, the site of a recent fracas. A little more than two months ago, the Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander threatened to “drill” Jose Pirela for allegedly relaying pitch locations. Tensions frothed, culminating in a benches-clearing encounter between managers.

In the Padres’ rematch with Wood, the two sides remained civil. The only drilling originated from the batter’s box. Chris Taylor went yard for the Dodgers, but Pirela and teammate Erick Aybar also homered as the Padres prevailed, 6-4, claiming their first series victory against Los Angeles in 2017.

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“They scored on us multiple times in multiple games, and we kept coming back on them,” manager Andy Green said after the Padres won three straight over the Dodgers for the first time since 2013. “That’s what you want to have and from a young club. It’s good to see.”

Right-hander Jhoulys Chacin outdueled Wood, reversing a recent lack of fastball command to work seven innings. Wood, on the other hand, rued a spate of missed targets.

It began in the bottom of the first, with Pirela drawing a two-out walk and advancing to third on a Wil Myers single. When Myers took off for second on a stolen-base attempt, Wood already was into his delivery toward home plate. A wild pitch eluded Yasmani Grandal as Pirela dashed in to score, punctuating his slide with an emphatic clap of his hands.

Given a 1-0 lead, Chacin completed a perfect turn through the Dodgers’ order. Taylor disrupted his rhythm with a leadoff blast in the fourth. Curtis Granderson reached second on a throwing error despite a valiant attempt by catcher Austin Hedges to prevent the ball from going into the home dugout. Justin Turner cranked a ground-rule double, putting the visitors ahead by a run.

Chacin retired the next three batters to prevent further damage. He applauded a running catch by Pirela, who has shown steady improvement as a left fielder.

“He’s done everything he’s been asked to,” Green said of Pirela. “...He’s brought consistent energy, runs the bases the way you want, defends the field the way you want, swings the bat the way you want.”

The Padres mustered a swift response at the plate. Matt Szczur opened the bottom of the fourth with a double. Aybar, recently returned from the disabled list and making a second consecutive start at shortstop, parked a two-run homer in the left-field seats.

Already a contributor on the basepaths and in the field, Pirela reinforced his offensive reputation in the fifth. The 27-year-old pummeled an 0-1 fastball from Wood, launching a solo shot to the

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upper deck in left. The home run was Pirela’s 10th since the Padres promoted him from Triple-A in June.

Given who was on the mound, Pirela was asked if additional motivation existed.

“Of course,” he said through an interpreter. “There definitely was.”

The Dodgers trimmed their deficit in the seventh, though they received some assistance. Padres center fielder Manuel Margot slid short of a shallow fly ball, leading to a bloop triple. Grandal capitalized with a sacrifice fly. Two more baserunners were stranded when third baseman Yangervis Solarte turned a chopper into a double play.

Margot and Carlos Asuaje opened the bottom of the inning with consecutive singles. Pirela walked, loading the bases and reaching for the fourth time in as many plate appearances. Up next, Myers added insurance, driving in two runs with his third single of the afternoon.

Chacin, who had walked at least three batters in each of his previous five starts, didn’t issue a single free pass. He struck out eight Dodgers while limiting them to three runs, two earned.

“I don’t get a lot of strikeouts, but zero walks, that really makes me happy,” Chacin said. “I’ve been walking a lot of guys the last couple games. That makes my pitch count (go) up, and that’s why I couldn’t go more than five innings. … To throw seven innings, it was good for me and especially for the bullpen after we played two games yesterday.”

Padres closer Brad Hand, who surrendered a tying homer to Turner on Saturday, yielded a solo shot to Cody Bellinger in the ninth. Aside from an infield single by Yasiel Puig, the rest of the inning was devoid of drama.

“We always say it doesn’t really matter who we go up against,” Pirela said. “We always try to go out there and play our game. It doesn’t matter who’s on the other side. Just happy that we won the series.”

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Renfroe slams El Paso into playoff spot Jeff Sanders

The defending Pacific Coast League champions are back in the playoffs.

Hunter Renfroe hit a first-inning grand slam, Tony Cruz added a seventh-inning blast and Triple-A El Paso beat host Sacramento 7-3 on Sunday to clinch a third straight Southern Division title.

The Chihuahuas (73-68) won 19 of their final 27 games to surge to the division title.

Renfroe also collected two other hits to lift his average to .500 since his demotion from the Padres. The slam was his fourth homer. He has driven in 18 runs in 13 games, struck out seven times and walked six times.

Travis Jankowski (.266) went 3-for-6 with a run scored and his eighth steal, Cruz drove in two runs on his seventh homer and Nick Buss (.353) collected two hits to continue to pace the PCL batting title race.

Right-hander Tim Melville (1-0, 4.66) struck out six and allowed two runs on two hits and five walks in 6 2/3 innings in the start.

The regular season ends Monday. El Paso (73-68) will begin the playoffs Wednesday in Reno.

DOUBLE-A SAN ANTONIO (78-61)

• Corpus Christi 4, Missions 0 (7): RHP Cal Quantrill (1-5, 4.04) struck out four and allowed two runs on eight hits and two walks in 5 2/3 innings in the loss. RHP Cesar Vargas (3.61) allowed two runs on one hit and three walks in 1/3 of an inning. 3B Fernando Tatis Jr. (.255) went 1-for-3 for one of San Antonio’s three hits.

• Corpus Christi 4, Missions 3 (8): RHP Jake Esch (0-3, 2.86) struck out three and allowed four runs – three earned – on 11 hits and a walk in 7 1/3 innings in the loss. CF Auston Bousfield (.229) drove in two runs on his fourth homer and C Stephen McGee (.256) went 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI.

HIGH SINGLE-A LAKE ELSINORE (64-75)

• Storm 11, Rancho Cucamonga 4: RHP Jesse Scholtens (6-7, 3.98) struck out four and allowed two runs on seven hits in five innings. CF Michael Gettys (.256) hit his 17thhomer and drove in four runs on three hits, LF Rod Boykin (.321) went 3-for-4 with a triple, an RBI and four runs scored and 2B Peter Van Gansen (.240), DH River Stevens (.300) and RF Taylor Kohlwey (.243) each had two hits. Van Gansen drove in three runs and tripled.

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LOW SINGLE-A FORT WAYNE (68-71)

• TinCaps 12, West Michigan 4: 3B Hudson Potts (.253) hit his 20th homer and drove in five runs on three hits and 2B Reinaldo Ilarraza (.232) drove in three runs on four hits. RF Jack Suwinski (.227), LF Nate Easley (.261), 1B Brad Zunica (.254), DH Jorge Ona (.277) and CF Buddy Reed (.231) each had two hits. RHP Lake Bachar (4-1, 4.06) struck out three and allowed two runs on four hits and a walk in six innings in the win. The win wrapped up the Eastern Division’s second-half top seed.

SHORT-SEASON TRI-CITY (40-36)

• Vancouver 5, Dust Devils 0: The Dust Devils were eliminated from the playoffs but piled up 13 more strikeouts to push the season total to 764, a new Northwest League record for a pitching staff. 3B Kelvin Melean (.229) and LF Tyler Benson (.304) each had two hits in the loss.

Transactions

• INF Jose Rondon was activated from El Paso’s disabled list. • RHP Jake Smith was transferred from El Paso to Lake Elsinore. • 1B Brad Zunica (foot) was activated from Fort Wayne’s disabled list. • OF Tyler Selesky was transferred from Fort Wayne to the Arizona League.

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Craig Stammen nominated for Bob Feller Act of Valor Award Dennis Lin

Padres reliever Craig Stammen was honored before Sunday’s game at Petco Park as a finalist for the Bob Feller Act of Valor Award, given annually to a major leaguer who actively supports service men and women.

In 2012, Stammen, who also was a finalist with the Washington Nationals in 2015, joined Martin Dempsey, then the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, on a U.S.O. tour of four countries. The pitcher later helped start Defending the Baseline, a program that distributes baseball equipment to military children around the world.

In his first season with the Padres, Stammen has hosted monthly trips to Petco Park for service personnel and their families, providing them with tickets, Friar Funds for food and merchandise, batting-practice passes and a private meet-and-greet.

“Because a couple of my best friends went overseas and served, I kind of know that the life isn’t very glamorous,” Stammen said. “Not only is the person in the military serving, but so are the families and kids back home. It’s almost like they’re on deployment also when they’re missing their mom or missing their dad.

“It’s about giving back to people that might not have it as good as I do.”

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Perdomo set for rematch in opener with Cards By Nathan Ruiz / MLB.com | 9:06 AM ET

When the Padres and Cardinals begin a four-game series Monday afternoon at Petco Park, San

Diego's Luis Perdomo will try to best his former organization for the second time in three starts,

while Carlos Martinez will look to win the rematch between the right-handers.

Perdomo and Martinez started against each other Aug. 24 in St. Louis, with both taking no-decisions

in a 4-3 Padres victory. Martinez allowed one earned run in seven innings, though his own throwing

error brought in another run. Perdomo held the Cardinals to two runs across six innings.

Before the 2016 season, the Padres acquired Perdomo -- who signed with the Cardinals out of the

Dominican Republic in 2011 -- in the Rule 5 Draft. Now a fixture in San Diego's rotation, Perdomo

has pitched at least six innings in eight straight starts with a 4.25 ERA in that span.

Martinez followed his strong outing against the Padres with a rough go against the Brewers. He

allowed six runs, though half were unearned, in 5 2/3 innings.

The Cardinals are looking to stay in the mix for a National League Wild Card spot, entering this

Labor Day matchup three games back of Colorado.

Three things to know for this game

• In the teams' first meeting of 2017, the Padres won two of three games at Busch Stadium.

• Martinez has not walked a left-handed batter in 46 straight plate appearances against them.

Overall, he's walked only 2.9 percent of batters over the past 30 days, the best walk rate among any

starter who has faced 100 or more batters in that span.

• Although no St. Louis position player has more than four at-bats against Perdomo, the team has

collectively had success against him. Current Cardinals are hitting .407/.448/.593 off Perdomo.

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Padres chop Wood for series win over LA By AJ Cassavell and Ken Gurnick / MLB.com | September 3rd, 2017

SAN DIEGO -- During a 30-hour stretch in San Diego this weekend, the Dodgers' record-setting pace

took a serious hit. Erick Aybar and Jose Pirela went deep on Sunday afternoon, sending the Padres

to a 6-4 victory, their third over their National League West rivals in two days.

Without question it's the roughest stretch of the season for the Dodgers, who got home runs

from Chris Taylor and Cody Bellinger.

"I can assure you, this won't break us," said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. "When you're the team

that we are and you've had the season we have had, teams are going to want to play well against

you and you're essentially going to get the best of every team. And that's what's supposed to

happen. It's up to us to go out there and answer the bell. We haven't played well the last 10 days,

but we'll get home and play Arizona and you'll see a much better team."

Bellinger's blast, a ninth-inning shot off Brad Hand, was his 36th of the season, breaking Mike

Piazza's franchise rookie record. But Hand settled in for his 15th save, getting pinch-hitter Austin

Barnes to pop up to short as the potential tying run. Los Angeles has now lost eight of its past nine

games, including two in a doubleheader on Saturday (though, at 92-44 they own the Majors' best

record by a wide margin).

"We obviously have a very young team here against the best team in baseball," said Padres first

baseman Wil Myers, who notched his first three-hit game since July 7. "To come out here and win

three in a row at home, to show what we can do against them, it's pretty cool. ... We hit from top to

bottom. We've pitched. Our starters have been good, our bullpen has been great. It's been pretty

cool to watch everyone contribute like this."

Making his return from the disabled list, left-hander Alex Wood struck out seven while allowing

four runs over six innings.

"These guys are aggressive and when you make mistakes, like most Major League hitters, you're

going to be in trouble," Roberts said. "Alex wasn't as sharp as he'd like. He wanted to take the ball

for the sixth inning to save the bullpen a little bit."

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Wood was bitten by the long ball. Aybar put the Padres on top with a two-run shot in the fourth, and

Pirela tacked on his 10th dinger of the of the season an inning later.

That was enough support for Padres right-hander Jhoulys Chacin, who turned in his best start in

more than a month. Chacin allowed three runs (two earned) and struck out eight over seven

innings. He punctuated his effort by getting Logan Forsythe to chop into a double play with the

Padres clinging to a one-run lead in the seventh.

"I knew if I got a fly ball or struck him out, they would pinch-hit with a lefty and I'd be out of the

game," Chacin said. "I was just thinking, 'Time to get a ground ball.'"

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED

Insurance: The Padres loaded the bases with nobody out in the seventh against Dodgers

reliever Fabio Castillo. It set the stage for Myers, who has spent the past couple of months in a

slump. Myers fell behind in the count before swatting a 1-2 changeup into left field for his third hit

of the day. Manuel Margot and Carlos Asuaje, who opened the frame with a pair of singles, came

around to score, and the Padres had a pair of insurance runs.

Jose's way: During the Dodgers' trip to San Diego in June, Pirela and Wood engaged in a verbal spat

that prompted the dustup between their two managers. It began when Wood accused Pirela of

stealing signs, then allegedly threatened to plunk Pirela if he continued. Pirela enacted a bit of

revenge Sunday, launching a no-doubt solo shot in the fifth, giving the Padres a 4-2 lead. More >>

QUOTABLE

"Really resilient series. They scored on us multiple times in multiple games, and we kept coming

back on them. That's what you want to have and from a young club, it's good to see." -- Padres

manager Andy Green

"It's the same formula we've had all year long, but the results are not there." -- Roberts

SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS

Chacin allowed a career-high nine runs to the Dodgers on Opening day in Los Angeles. Since then,

he's faced them four times and has posted a 1.61 ERA. Chacin is one of four big league pitchers this

season with multiple wins over the Dodgers.

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HEDGE FUN

Padres catcher Austin Hedges made one of the most athletic defensive efforts of the season in the

fourth inning -- but to no avail. Curtis Granderson bounced a chopper to first, and Myers delivered

an errant underhand flip that rolled toward the Padres' dugout. In his effort to prevent Granderson

from receiving an extra base, Hedges went into a full-extension dive, tumbling onto the dugout

steps, while keeping the ball on the top step. With the rest of Hedges' body out of play, however,

Granderson was awarded second, and he would score on Justin Turner's ground-rule double,

giving the Dodgers a 3-2 lead.

"It was just a great effort," Green said. "To see a guy care that much to go flying to try to save an

extra base -- it could've been a big deal for us. I just love the effort."

AFTER REVIEW

With two outs in the ninth, Yasiel Puig bounced a slow chopper to short, where Aybar came up

throwing. A lunging Puig arrived at first base just in time to extend the game. But not before replay

review captivated the 33,949 in attendance. The safe call stood, bringing Barnes to the plate as the

potential tying run.

WHAT'S NEXT

Dodgers: Rich Hill gets an immediate chance for redemption when he starts Monday's 5:10 p.m. PT

Labor Day homestand opener against the D-backs, who roughed him up for six runs on eight hits in

3 2/3 innings at Chase Field on Tuesday. He is 1-4 with a 5.02 ERA against Arizona in his career.

Padres: For the second time in three weeks, Luis Perdomo will face his former organization on

Monday, when the Cardinals come to town to open a four-game set. Perdomo, who came to San

Diego via the 2015 Rule 5 Draft, has reeled off eight straight starts of at least six innings. First pitch

is slated for 1:40 p.m. PT.

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Pirela savors 2nd-deck homer off Wood Padres outfielder had nasty exchange with LA lefty in June

By Nathan Ruiz / MLB.com | September 3rd, 2017

SAN DIEGO -- As Jose Pirela watched the ball sail into Petco Park's Estrella Jalisco Landing, his left

arm hung in the air.

He savored the moment Sunday after crushing Alex Wood's fastball, for his 10th home run, in

the Padres' 6-4 victory over the Dodgers. As Pirela trotted toward first base, his right arm rised to

match his left. For Pirela, whose nickname "Aguila Negra" translates to "Black Eagle," he looked the

part as he completed the first leg of his revenge tour around the bases.

Pirela's motives derived from a June 30 incident where Wood accused Pirela, who was at second

base, of stealing signs and threatened to drill him as a result. The spat resulted in a post-inning

fracas that led to the ejections of both managers.

At 405 feet per Statcast™ on Sunday, it wasn't Pirela's farthest home run. It wasn't the hardest he's

hit. But he did not hesitate to say there were extra motivations behind it.

"Of course," Pirela said through a team interpreter. "There definitely were."

Padres manager Andy Green saw other incentives for Pirela's reaction.

"Any time you hit a ball in the second deck, there's some sweet satisfaction to it," Green said.

Pirela reached in each of his other three plate appearances, as well. He walked against Wood in the

first and aggressively moved to third on Wil Myers' single. Pirela then scored on Wood's wild pitch,

celebratorily sliding in at the left-hander's feet.

Pirela singled in the third and finished 2-for-2 with two walks and two runs scored. Entrenched as

the Padres' No. 3 hitter, Pirela is batting .294 in his longest stretch of Major League playing time.

"I think he fires up all of the players, even the bench," said Jhoulys Chacin, San Diego's starter

Sunday and Pirela's Venezuela countryman. "He just shows up every day and wants to be on the

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field. You see when he hit the homer how excited he gets. It's really nice to see a guy play that way.

That's why he's playing really well this year."

The former Yankees farmhand has played in more big league games in 2017 than in the past three

seasons combined. His defense in left field has improved as he's spent more time there. Pirela's

celebration Sunday exemplified the energy he's brought to the Padres since his promotion from

Triple-A El Paso on June 6.

Once seen as part of the Padres' depth, he potentially has played himself into their future.

"He's done everything he's been asked to," Green said. "We love the quality of at-bats he gives us. …

He's brought consistent energy, runs the bases the way you want, defends the field the way you

want, swings the bat the way you want. I don't know what else he'd have to do to solidify himself

into our future plans."

Pirela took a moment to reflect on his efforts after Sunday's big swing, but he knows there's more to

be done.

"I think of myself as someone who just needs to work every day on both sides of the ball,

defensively and offensively, in order to stay here," Pirela said. "I think what I've achieved up to this

point and what I've done to be here hasn't been easy, so for me, it's just a matter of maintaining that

and continuing to work going forward."

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More to like than 3 straight wins over Dodgers Padres held their own against the National League's best

By Bill Center / San Diego Padres | 11:56 AM ET

Clayton Richard sees the direction the Padres are headed. So does Wil Myers. AndJhoulys Chacin.

"The culture is shifting," Richard said Sunday after the Padres scored a third straight win over the

Los Angeles Dodgers at Petco Park.

"We're still young," the veteran left-hander continued. "But we're starting to establish a willingness

to compete every day. Where we want to be has to start with that belief as well as good young

players. You have to believe you can win every night against anyone. That tone is being set."

"Everyone thought we'd just be playing it out this year because we were so young," said Chacin

after his brilliant seven-inning outing Sunday, which resulted in the third straight win over the

Dodgers.

"We couldn't change that we were young and inexperienced. We play hard. And we're playing for

moving it forward. We won that series in St. Louis. We beat the Dodgers here. It's not something

that just happened. There's a building feeling."

And Myers feels it, too.

"I think it could become something special," said the first baseman. "We've played really well. I like

what we are doing and where we're headed. We are kind of developing as a group. I hate to think

where we might be if I had hit better."

The Padres are not a championship-caliber team yet by any description. But they are moving

forward. Since starting the season losing 30 of their first 45 games, the Padres have gone 47-45.

And more recently, they have held their own during the toughest part of the schedule.

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Take the game the Padres lost in the Dodgers series as an example. The Dodgers won 1-0

with Clayton Kershaw pitching a gem. But rookie Dinelson Lamet matched him.

"The difference was one pitch against Kershaw," said Chacin. "One-nothing, that's competing. That

game showed me something. This weekend showed me something. And there are a lot of young

players in the system."

Not every prospect is going to reach a Major League lineup. But the Padres have a bundle. Most of

the Padres top prospects spent the 2017 season playing in leagues advanced for their age. Class A

Fort Wayne opened the season with five of the 10 youngest players in the Midwest League and

made the playoffs.

Eighteen-year-old Fernando Tatis Jr. is finishing the season at Double-A San Antonio, where

postseason Texas League All-Star Luis Urías opened the season as the youngest player in the league.

There are no promises in baseball. But fans have a right to be excited about the Padres' future.

The Padres are not there. So much needs to be done, the results might not be seen for another two

to three seasons. But I think they are turning the corner. The game that gave me the most hope over

the weekend was actually Friday night, the only game they lost.

The Padres and Dinelson Lamet battled the powerful Dodgers down to a single pitch. Andy Green

saw the same thing.

"You lose a game short term, but for the long term, I think it was exciting," said Green. "To see

someone square off against Clayton Kershaw and for the most part match him, you can't ask for

anything more from Lamet."

Okay, so the weekend was one small step. But it was a step in the right direction. And a step the

Padres needed to make.

Noteworthy

• Chacin entered Sunday's game against the Dodgers with the lowest home ERA in the National

League at 1.85. Chacin allowed three runs (two earned) on five hits and no walks with eight

strikeouts Sunday to end a three-decision losing streak. Although Chacin's overall ERA dropped to a

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season-low 3.96, his home ERA jumped slightly to 1.91. Chacin is 8-3 at home and 12-10 overall this

season.

• SS Erick Aybar was 4-for-8 in the final two games of the Dodgers series with Sunday's two-run

homer, a double and three runs scored. Aybar came off the disabled list after missing 28 games with

a fracture in his left foot suffered July 21. The Padres had believed Aybar was lost for the rest of the

season when he passed a physical last week and returned to the Padres after a two-game rehab

assignment in Arizona.

• Is Myers finally showing signs of breaking out of his prolonged slump? Myers was 3-for-4 Sunday

with two RBIs. He was 5-for-11 with a double, a triple, three RBIs and two runs scored in the series,

and he is 10-for-30 in his eight games after going hitless in 20 straight at-bats. Sunday was his 29th

multihit game of the season and his fourth game with three or more hits.

• LF Jose Pirela was 3-for-9 against the Dodgers this series with a home run, three RBIs, three

walks and three runs scored.

• LHP Brad Hand gave up ninth-inning homers both Saturday and Sunday to the Dodgers.

Saturday's two-run shot by Justin Turner tied the score and nailed Hand with a blown save,

although he picked up the win on Yangervis Solarte's walk-off homer in the bottom of the ninth.

Hand got his 15th save Sunday despite Cody Bellinger's homer.

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Erlin, Rea on track to rejoin Padres in spring Both returning from TJ surgery, likely to be in rotation mix

By AJ Cassavell / MLB.com | @AJCassavell | September 3rd, 2017

SAN DIEGO -- Even before they make any trades or free-agent signings, the Padres hope to add two

pitchers to their rotation mix next spring.

Robbie Erlin and Colin Rea, each coming off 2016 Tommy John surgery, joined the club at Petco

Park this weekend. The Padres are optimistic that both will be ready for camp next spring. Erlin

could return as soon as next month and pitch in the instructional league.

"That rehab process is very long," said Padres manager Andy Green. "It's got to feel interminable to

those guys to grind and get back and how hard it is to fight back from that injury. We're excited

about where they are in the process."

Where are they exactly? Erlin recently faced live hitters for the first time since his surgery last May.

He threw live batting practice Friday and is beginning an every-five-days progression where he

alternates bullpen sessions and live BP.

"Honestly, it's super simplistic, but I've just been working toward being healthy, whenever that is,"

Erlin said. "I haven't really tried to put a timeline on it, or looked into the future. It's pretty much:

Do what you have to do right now to get through all these progressions and be healthy."

In four seasons with the Padres, Erlin has a 4.54 ERA over 30 appearances. Rea, meanwhile, owns a

4.69 mark in 26 games.

Rea, 27, had his surgery in November, so he's a bit behind Erlin, 26, in his recovery. Still, Rea is

progressing quickly, given the typical timeline. He's approaching his fifth bullpen session and will

continue to throw until mid-October.

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After that, Rea will shut things down for six weeks -- much like he normally does at the start of the

offseason. When he resumes throwing, he expects to be on his normal progression for the start of

camp.

"It's been tough," Rea said. "I enjoy watching the games though. It's been fun to watch them, but it's

tough not being able to contribute to the team. But things have gone really smoothly for me, so that

makes it a lot better."

The Padres could have an entire rotation's worth of pitchers returning from the disabled list next

spring. Along with Erlin and Rea, Matt Strahm (left knee), Christian Friedrich (left elbow)

and Jarred Cosart (right elbow) are expected back by the start of camp.

Erlin and Rea, when healthy, appear to be favorites among that group for spots at the back end of

the starting five.

"They'll definitely been in the mix for rotation spots," Green said of Rea and Erlin. "They're guys

we've thought highly of for some time now. ... There's going to be some real competition for spots,

and if you want to bring the best out in people, you have competition.

"We didn't really have that this year with as much attrition as we had through injury. Instead of

competition for those spots, it was almost won by default. So it'll be nice to have a large contingent

of guys coming in fighting for a job."

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Aybar, Pirela homer off Wood in Padres' 6-4 win vs Dodgers Associated Press

SAN DIEGO -- The rebuilding San Diego Padres won't reach the postseason this year, and maybe not for the next few years. They're got this, though -- three straight September wins against the runaway NL West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers, who continue to have the best record in the majors but have lost eight of nine in their worst stretch of the year. Erick Aybar hit a go-ahead, two-run homer and Jose Pirela also went deep off Alex Wood as the Padres beat the Dodgers 6-4 Sunday. San Diego took the final three games of the four-game series, including a doubleheader sweep Saturday.

"The guys are resilient," manager Andy Green said. "They've been that way all year. They believe in each other. They've played good baseball for an extended period of time after starting the season 15-30. You don't get the luxury of being a championship team by X-ing out the first month and a half, but we're taking steps in the right direction."

The Padres got seven strong innings from Jhoulys Chacin, who said the three straight wins against the Dodgers can't be understated.

"Huge," the right-hander said. "I think that's what Andy wants to see from us, is this late in the season, when the Dodgers are getting ready for the playoffs, and they come here and we take three out of four. We pitched real well today. The only game we lost was 1-0 against (Clayton) Kershaw. That wasn't that bad."

San Diego won three straight against Los Angeles for the first time since June 2013. Although they're buried in fourth in the NL West, 30 1/2 games behind LA, the Padres won't have the super bad season many expected. They're 62-75, and the Dodgers are 92-44.

The Dodgers return home for a three-game series starting Monday against Arizona, which swept them in Phoenix last week.

"I think it's a statistical improbability to go an entire season without really getting punched in the face at any time," said Wood (14-2), who was activated from the disabled list and made his first start since Aug. 21. "It's kind of one of those things where we've been so good for so long that we have a rough patch for a week and it's like, `Oh my God, what's going on?' It happens to everybody. The best teams in the world this happens to. We've just got to keep our heads down and keep playing the baseball that we're supposed to, and we'll come out of it and be fine."

Cody Bellinger hit his 36th home run to break Mike Piazza's Dodgers rookie record, set in 1993. It came with one out in the ninth off All-Star closer Brad Hand, who got his 15th save.

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"It feels great," he said. "To be in the same sentence as Piazza was awesome, and to now pass him, it feels pretty special. It's a team game so hopefully we get out of this and start winning some games again."

Aybar's shot to left-center in the fourth gave San Diego a 3-2 lead. His seventh, it followed Matt Szczur's leadoff double. Pirela homered into the second deck in left with one out in the fifth, his 10th.

Aybar returned Friday after missing 37 games due to an injury caused when he fouled a ball off his left foot on July 21.

Pirela said homering off Wood was satisfying, particularly after what happened on June 30. In the bottom of the first that night, Wood yelled at Pirela, thinking that he was signaling Manuel Margot from second base. The Padres believed Wood threatened Pirela.

Green and Dodgers manager Dave Roberts had words. Roberts charged Green and bumped him. Both benches cleared, and both managers were ejected.

After homering off Wood Sunday, Pirela kept his left arm extended as he ran toward first and watched the ball sail away.

Pirela also had a nice catch in left, but said the homer was bigger. "It's not something you do every day," he said.

The Dodgers closed to 4-3 in the seventh. Bellinger's fly to left-center fell in among three defenders and rolled away for a triple, and he scored on Yasmani Grandal's sacrifice fly. The Dodgers were poised to add on, as Yasiel Puigfollowed with a double and Alex Verdugo an infield single. But Logan Forsythehit a chopper to Yangervis Solarte, who stepped on third and then threw to first to end the inning. San Diego's Wil Myers hit a two-run single in the bottom of the inning. Chacin (12-10) retired his first nine batters before Chris Taylorhomered leading off the fourth to tie it at 1. Justin Turner added an RBI double for a 2-1 lead. Chacin gave up three runs, two earned, and five hits in seven innings with eight strikeouts and no walks.

Wood allowed four runs and seven hits in six innings, struck out seven and walked three.

UP NEXT

Dodgers: LHP Rich Hill (9-6, 2.97) is scheduled to start Monday, and Arizona counters with LHP Robbie Ray (11-5, 2.97). Padres: RHP Luis Perdomo (7-8, 4.69) opens a four-game series against St. Louis, which counters with RHP Carlos Martinez (10-10, 3.52).

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Padres On Deck: Renfroe, Cruz

Lead AAA-El Paso to Title

Potts, Illaraza, Boykin, Gettys have big nights with

the bat

By Bill Center

Right fielder Hunter Renfroe hit a first-inning grand slam homer and catcher Tony Cruz hit a two-run homer Sunday night as Triple-A El Paso scored a 7–3 win at Sacramento to clinch a third straight Pacific Coast League Pacific Southern title.

Renfroe was 3-for-4 with his fourth homer and four RBIs to raise his batting average with the Chihuahuas back to .500 (27-for-54). Cruz (.280) was 2-for-4 with the homer and a walk. The Chihuahuas have won eight of their last nine games and are 73–68.

Elsewhere in the Padres system:

— Third baseman Hudson Potts (.253) was 3-for-5 with his 20th homer and five RBIs and second baseman Reinaldo Ilarraza (.232) wads 4-for-5 with two stolen bases, three RBIs and two runs scored as Single-A Fort Wayne scored a 12–4 win at West Michigan to clinch the homefield advantage for the first round of the Midwest League playoffs. Right-handed starter Lake Bachar(4–1, 4.06 earned run average) allowed two runs on four hits and a walk with three strikeouts in six innings to get the win.

— Center fielder Michael Gettys (.256) was 3-for-4 with a homer, a sacrifice fly, four RBIs and two runs scored and left fielder Rod Boykin (.321) was 3-for-5 with a triple, a RBI and four runs scored as Advanced Single-A scored an 11–4 win at Rancho Cucamonga.

There were several moves in the system Sunday.

Shortstop Jose Rondon was activated from El Paso’s seven-day disabled list and the Chihuahuas transferred right-handed relief pitcher Jake Smith to Lake Elsinore.

First baseman Brad Zunica was activated from Fort Wayne’s disabled list. The TinCaps also transferred infielder-outfielder Tyler Selesky to the Arizona Rookie League.

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Around the Farm:

TRIPLE-A EL PASO (73–68) — Chihuahuas 7, SACRAMENTO 3: El Paso clinched the title by winning eight of the past nine games. Rondon (.288) backed Renfroe and Cruz with two doubles in five at-bats with a RBI. CF Travis Jankowski (.266) was 3-for-5 with a stolen base and a run scored. LF Nick Buss (.353) was 2-for-5 with a run scored. 3B Diego Goris (.285) was 2-for-5 with a run scored and a double. LF Rafael Ortega (.318) was 0-for-3 with two walks and a run scored. Starting RHP Tim Melville, who the Padres recently claimed off waivers, allowed two runs on two hits and five walks with six strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings to get the win in his El Paso debut. RHP Adam Cimber (2.92) allowed a run on a hit with a strikeout in 1 1/3 innings. RHP Cory Mazzoni (0.89) allowed a hit with two strikeouts in a scoreless inning.

DOUBLE-A SAN ANTONIO (37–32, 78–61) — CORPUS CHRISTI 4–4, Missions 0–3: RHP Cal Quantrill (1–5, 4.04 ERA) started the opener and allowed two runs on eight hits and two walks with four strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings to suffer the loss. RHP Cesar Vargas (3.61) allowed two runs on a hit and three walks in one-third of an inning. RHP Jake Esch (1–3, 2.86) allowed four runs (three earned) on 11 hits and a walk with three strikeouts over 7 1/3 innings in the second-game to suffer the walk-off loss. SS Fernando Tatis Jr. (.255) was 2-for-7 with a run scored in the doubleheader. C Stephen McGee (.256) was 2-for-3 with a double and a RBI. LF Nick Torres (.275) was 2-for-5 with a walk. CF Auston Bousfield (.229) had a two-run homer in four at-bats. 3B Noah Perio (.279) was 1-for-4 with a run scored. CF Nick Schulz (.253) was 1-for-5 with a RBI.

ADVANCED SINGLE-A LAKE ELSINORE (29–40, 64–75) — Storm 11, RANCHO CUCAMONGA 4: SS-2B Peter Van Gansen (.256) backed Gettys and Boykin, going 2-for-5 with a triple, three RBIs and two runs scored. RF Taylor Kohlwey (.243) was 2-for-4 with a RBI and two runs scored. DH River Stevens (.300) was 2-for-4 with a double, a stolen base, a walk, a RBI and a run scored. C Austin Allen (.283) had a RBI double in five at-bats. RHP Jesse Scholtens (6–7, 3.98 ERA) allowed two runs on seven hits with four strikeouts in five innings. RHP Zech Lemond (4.39) struck out two in a perfect inning. RHP Spencer Kulman (0.00) allowed a hit in a scoreless inning. RHP Jose Ruiz (5.98) allowed two runs on three hits in an inning. RHP David Bednar (3.58) issued a walk with a strikeout in an otherwise perfect inning.

SINGLE-A FORT WAYNE (42–27, 68–71) — TinCaps 12, WEST MICHIGAN 4: RHP Jordan Guerrero (2.92 ERA) followed Bachar and struck out one in a perfect inning. RHP Dauris Valdez (2.38) allowed two runs on two hits in an inning. RHP Hansel Rodriguez (3.80) allowed a hit in a scoreless inning. RF Jack Suwinski (.227) backed Potts and Ilarraza, going 2-for-5 with a double, a walk, two RBIs and three runs scored. Zunica (.254) returned from the disabled list and went 2-for-4 with a double and a RBI. LF Nate Easley (.261) was 2-for-5 with a double, a stolen base, a RBI and two runs scored. DH Jorge Oña (.277) was 2-for-5. CF Buddy Reed (.231) was 2-for-5 with a double, a triple and two runs scored. SS Gabriel Arias (.241) was 1-for-5 with a run scored. C Marcus Greene Jr. (.270) was 0-for-3 with two walks and a run scored.

SHORT-SEASON SINGLE-A TRI CITY (21–18, 40–36) — Vancouver 5, DUST DEVILS 0: Tri-City finished the season by failing to score in the final 42 innings to miss the playoffs. LF Tyler Benson (.304) was 2-for-3 with a stolen base in the season finale. 3B Kelvin Melean (.229)

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was 2-for-3 with a walk. 2B Justin Lopez (.246) was 1-for-2. C Jose Lezama (.278) and CF Josh Magee (.218) were each 1-for-3. 1B Bryant Aragon (.213) was 1-for-4. Starting LHP Aaron Leasher (2.08) struck out two in a perfect inning. RHPHenry Henry (3.48) allowed a hit with two strikeouts in 1 2/3 scoreless innings. RHP Dalton Erb (0–2, 2.59) allowed two runs on three hits and a walk with a strikeout in an inning. LHP Fred Schlichtholz (0.81) allowed a hit and a walk with two strikeouts in a scoreless inning. RHP Trevor Megill(0.98) struck out the only hitter he face. RHP Austin Smith (5.14) allowed three runs on a hit and two walks in one-third of an inning. RHP Wilmer Torres (2.45) allowed a hit and two walks in two-thirds of a scoreless inning. LHP Travis Radke (1.80) struck out one in a perfect inning. RHP Elias Torres(5.14) issued a walk with four strikeouts in two otherwise perfect innings.

ARIZONA ROOKIE LEAGUE PADRES-1 (10–17, 25–31) — The Arizona Rookie League season has ended.

ARIZONA ROOKIE LEAGUE PADRES-2 (15–13, 30–25) — The Arizona Rookie League season has ended.

DOMINICAN SUMMER LEAGUE PADRES (24–47) — The Dominican Summer League regular season has ended.

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This Day in Padres History, 9/4

Gwynn’s №19 retired in 2004; big games by Clark,

Gaston; record for Wallace

By Bill Center

Sept. 4, 1970 — Starting right-hander Mike Corkins hits a grand slam homer while allowing two runs over seven innings and outfielder Cito Gaston is 4-for-6 with a double, a homer and three RBIs as the Padres scored a 15–2 victory over the division-leading Reds in Cincinnati.

Sept. 4, 1982 — Catcher Terry Kennedy is 3-for-4 with two homers and drives in all four runs and Tim Lollar allows one run on three hits in a complete game as the Padres defeat the Cubs 4–1 at San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium.

Sept. 4, 1989 — First baseman Jack Clark drives in seven runs with a pair of homers as the Padres score a 10–9 win in Atlanta. The RBIs are tied for the third-highest, single-game total in Padres history.

Sept. 4, 1992 — Darrin Jackson and Tim Teufel each homer in the top of the 14th as the Padres defeat the Cubs 7–5 at Wrigley Field in Chicago.

Sept. 4, 2004 — Tony Gwynn’s №19 retired by the Padres during ceremonies at Petco Park.

Sept. 4, 2015 — Brett Wallace has an RBI single to tie a Padres’ franchise record with six straight pinch hits.

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Tatis has breakout performance for Missions Padres No. 4 prospect registers first four-hit game of his career

By Gerard Gilberto / MiLB.com | September 2, 2017 10:51 PM ET

After performing well enough to jump two levels to Double-A San Antonio, Fernando Tatis

Jr. has had some growing pains. But on Saturday night, the Padres' No. 4 prospect broke out

in a big way.

Tatis registered the first four-hit game of his career and drove in two runs as the Missions

posted a 6-3 victory over Corpus Christi. It was the first game at Whataburger Field since

Hurricane Harvey ravaged the Texas coastline.

"Pretty solid approach tonight to stay in the middle of the field and be ready to attack anything

that's up and out over," San Antonio hitting coach Lance Burkhart said. "He didn't try and do too

much. He just tried to stay on top of the ball and hit line drives and was a little bit more selective

tonight."

MLB.com's No. 58 overall prospect was promoted from Class A Fort Wayne on Aug. 21 after

batting .281/.390/.520 and setting a TinCaps' single-season record with 21 homers. The son of

former Major Leaguer Fernando Tatis also stole 29 bases to become the first teenager in the

Midwest League with 20 long balls and 20 steals in the same season since 2010.

Through his first 10 games with San Antonio, Tatis was 7-for-39 (.179) with a homer, double,

four RBIs and four runs scored. Although he didn't explode onto the scene, he's shown the

Missions a level of maturity well beyond that of many 18-year-olds.

"He carries himself really well. He has a really good demeanor," Burkhart said. "He definitely

knows how to make an approach at the plate ... how to go about his work every day. I don't have

to worry about him doing his work ... having a good at-bat ... being ready to hit, he's already got

all those things."

After bouncing out in his first at-bat against starter Josh James, Tatis got the better of the right-

hander with one out and the bases loaded in the second inning. His two-run single came during

a six-run frame in which San Antonio collected seven base knocks. Tatis scored the final run

when Padres No. 10 prospect Josh Naylor slapped a single into center field.

"Seven singles in an inning is pretty tough to do," Burkhart said. "That just shows you those guys

had a pretty good approach at the plate and they weren't trying to do too much, taking what

the pitcher gave them and working their at-bats."

Tatis notched another base hit to center with two outs in the fourth and lined a one-out knock

in the sixth. With two outs and a runner on in the eighth, Tatis ripped the first offering from

right-hander Ryan Thompson to left for another base hit.

No. 3 Padres prospect Luis Urias singled three times in four at-bats for San Antonio.

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Top-ranked Astros prospect Kyle Tucker cracked a solo shot in his first at-bat for Corpus

Christi. It was the 15th Double-A homer and 24th of the season for MLB.com's 10th overall

prospect.