San Diego Padres

5 memorable Padres performances

Published Jun. 6, 2018 7:51 p.m. ET

DeVaughn Townes

The San Diego Padres have had their ups and downs on the year, but that is to be expected from a young team. However, whether it has been astounding work done on the mound or sweet hitting, the Padres have had some performances worth looking back on. Let’s look back on a few moments as we are a quarter of the way through the season.

1. Welcome to the big leagues

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Youth and inexperience are just a couple words that can be used to describe the Padres. However, whenever they have marquee performances, they provide fans with hope of better days to come.

Christian Villanueva started out 0-4 following a hit-less outing in his first game on March 31, but he shook that bad game off in a hurry. The rookie played like a man possessed on April 3 against the Colorado Rockies as he belted three home runs and had five RBI. His efforts snapped a four-game skid for the Padres.

Franmil Reyes was called up on May 14 to the Padres after powering his way through the Triple-A. He made Petco Park look like the Home Run Derby as he smashed the stripes off the baseball. His homer traveled 442 feet and ultimately paid dividends in a 3-2 win, May 30, against the Miami Marlins.

Both Villanueva and Reyes have shown Padres fans a lot to be excited for in their rookie seasons.

2. Lucky No. 11
On Jackie Robinson Day, April 15, the Padres blitzed their in-state rival, the San Francisco Giants, in a 10-1 win. The Padres finished with 11 hits as they were led by hot-hitting rookie Villanueva and Jose Pirela.

Villanueva and Pirela combined for five hits and six RBI, including a home run by the rookie. The 26-year-old rookie was in the midst of a three-game stretch in which he hit a home run, April 14-16.

3. Home cookin’

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In a 12-2 victory against the New York Mets on April 28, the Padres had their way like they were at a buffet on a Sunday afternoon. Eric Hosmer came alive with two hits while Pirela added a pair as well. Villanueva hit a home run in the eighth inning to put the cherry on top of a sweet win.

4. Richard stifles the Cards
Clayton Richard is 4-6 on the year but has won three of his last five games, one of which he received a no decision. He was lights out against the St. Louis Cardinals as he matched a career-high in K’s with 10. The 6’5 pitcher held seven batters hitless in eight innings of work as his slider was like a jigsaw puzzle St. Louis could not solve.

Richard led the Padres past the playoff hopeful Cards in a 5-3 win on May 13, throwing 102 pitches. His efforts allowed him to pick up his second win on the year at the time.

5. Ross dazzles Harper-led Nationals
Tyson Ross has showed flashes of his 2014 All-Star form as the Padres top gun. He came four outs shy of throwing the franchise’s first no-hitter against the Arizona Diamondbacks in a 4-1 win on April 20.

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The larger-than-life right hander usually wills his way through lineups using his fastball. The Washington Nationals were locked in on his signature pitch so he deviated from the scouting report as he started throwing his slider.

Ross finished with nine strikeouts as he held the likes of Bryce Harper and Juan Soto hitless. Villanueva drove in two RBI as well to help San Diego’s cause in a 3-1 win against the Nats on May 23.

San Diego is a young team showing promise in the early stages of the baseball season. They have talented pitchers in Ross and Richard and a power-heavy batting lineup. If they could have both the pitching and batting work in cohesion, the Padres could become a .500 or above ball club. They are within striking distance of the NL West lead too so anything could happen as we approach the dog days of summer.