Padres Press Clips Wednesday, April 15, 2015

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Despaigne confounds D-backs UT San Diego Lin 2

Friar talk: The path toward relevance UT San Diego Sanders 5

Gyorko continues to sit as Solarte starts UT San Diego Lin 8

Prospect VanMeter undergoes surgery UT San Diego Sanders 10

Minors: Justin Hancock under control UT San Diego Sanders 11

Padres about to have wealth of rotation options MLB.com Center 12

Anderson looks to quiet Padres on Robinson Day MLB.com Gilbert 14

Despaigne making the most of his rotation stint MLB.com Brock 15

Hancock pairs with relief for -A shutout MLB.com Center 17

J-Up and away: Padres even series behind Upton, Despaigne MLB.com Brock & Gilbert 18

In Petco Park garden, Padres pick peppers that pack plenty of heat Sports Illustrated Newcomb 20

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Despaigne confounds D-backs Starting in place of Ian Kennedy, right-hander throws seven efficient innings in 5-1 win By Dennis Lin9:41 P.M.APRIL 14, 2015Updated10:48 P.M. In the bottom of the second inning, the television cut to the home at Petco Park.

Odrisamer Despaigne, employing a bat wiggle vaguely resembling in slow motion, had just flailed at the third pitch he saw, a curveball in the dirt. He'd walked back to the bench, where fellow Andrew Cashner and Tyson Ross were still chortling at their teammate. Despaigne, who wasn't asked to in his native country, was now 0-for-27 since his debut in the majors.

For the Padres and their affable, resilient Cuban, it was all in good fun. Tuesday, Despaigne continued to endear himself to the club that signed him for $1 million nearly a year ago, watched him exceed everyone's expectations and, after acquiring a pair of talented starting pitchers in the offseason, placed him on their opening-day roster as the staff's long man.

Five days after throwing the longest perfect outing by a reliever in franchise history, Despaigne steered the Padres to a 5-1 victory over the D-backs with his right arm, which seems to fly forward at a confounding variety of angles. The Padres improved to 5-4 in front of 20,102.

"He’s someone that is difficult to pick up angle with," Padres Derek Norris said of Despaigne. "With hitting, you try to pick up where that arm angle is going to be. For him, he's always changing arm angles and leg kicks. Sometimes, I don’t think he knows what he’s doing before he’s doing it, he does whatever. He’s funky, but in a great way.

"I treat him like I did when I caught (former A's ) Bartolo Colon. Just the one finger. It could be a four- or a two-seam. I really don't know what's going to come. It's not a huge deal to me. I told him, you don't have to tell me."

Even as the visitors struggled to solve the puzzle on the mound, the Padres jumped on D-backs right-hander in the bottom of the first. Given a 3-0 lead, Despaigne needed just 84 pitches to finish with seven innings of one- ball. He may make only one more start before

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No. 4 starter Ian Kennedy returns from the disabled list, but Despaigne can take comfort in the knowledge that, yet again, he's proven invaluable.

"Obviously, I would prefer to start, but I'm a pitcher and I love to pitch," Despaigne said through translator Danny Sanchez. "That's what I'm going to do whenever the team calls on me."

At the beginning of the season, the 28-year-old went into the bullpen when the Padres named newcomer Brandon Morrow their fifth starter.

"Where he’s from, what he’s been through in international baseball, even in the regular season in the Cuban league, he’s a wise guy. He’s a wise man. He took it in stride," Padres manager Bud Black said. "And he knows that he’s a major league pitcher. We told him the importance of the role of a long man, even though it’s at times not a cherished role by a pitcher, especially a guy trying to make his mark in his prime. But we explained that we need him there. Sure enough, we needed him in the very fourth game of the season, and he’s responded. He pitched great.

Despaigne walked the first batter of Tuesday's game, A.J. Pollock, on eight pitches. It was the first baserunner he'd allowed since 2014. He escaped the inning when first baseman Yonder Alonso snared a liner and stepped on the bag, completing an unassisted double play.

Otherwise, Despaigne was largely and slyly effective. At one point, he flipped in a 67 mph curveball for strike one. At another, he fired 94 mph past Hellickson, who waved at strike three.

Only in the fourth did he stumble, hitting and surrendering an RBI double to . Despaigne apparently decided that was enough. He retired the next 10 batters before issuing a walk. Then, on his 84th pitch, he induced a routine flyout to left. He'd yielded only two hits and two walks, with three .

His career ERA against West opponents dropped to 2.18 over 74 1/3 innings. His ERA at Petco Park dipped to 1.64 over 65 2/3 innings. In three starts against the D-backs at Petco Park, Despaigne is 2-0 with a 1.31 ERA (3 ER, 20.2 IP).

While critics might point to Despaigne's 5.31 ERA in eight road appearances last season, on this night he likely would've been a tough at-bat anywhere. Besides Trumbo's double, hard contact was rare. Only one flyout reached the warning track. 3

"I enjoy pitching here," Despaigne said. "It has a reputation of being a pitcher’s park. But I’m a pitcher, so whether it’s here or on the road, I hope to have better success this year on the road."

Conversely, Hellickson was under attack from the first inning, a productive one for the Padres. led off with a line-drive double to right-center, Yangervis Solarte legged out an infield dribbler and , facing a shift, bounced an RBI groundout up the middle. From there, Justin Upton walked, Derek Norris cranked an RBI double to the left-field corner and Yonder Alonso plated another run with a groundout.

In the fifth, Upton, showing power that'd play anywhere, boomed a solo shot to the upper deck in left field. It was his second of the season, his first for the Padres at Petco Park. Prior to his December acquisition, Upton's 10 home runs in downtown San Diego had been tied for the most by any visiting player.

"It's nice to hit a homer in front of your home fans. Anytime you get it," Upton said. "I enjoyed it."

In the sixth, , who might lead the Padres in both hard contact and lineouts, just missed a home run, settling for a double off the top of the left-field wall.

He was stranded, but the Padres added an insurance run in the seventh. With two outs, Kemp sent a shallow fly to right, where Trumbo -- not Ender Inciarte, a speedy bane to the Padres on Monday -- was playing. Trumbo attempted a sliding catch, but the ball bounced in front of, and then over, him. Kemp motored around the bases. He slid into third, safe, for his second triple in three games. Moments later, he dashed home on a wild pitch.

All of it proved more than enough for Despaigne's first win this season. Meanwhile, his first career hit awaits, though, if he continues to do what he's done on the mound, what he does at the plate won't matter much.

"He’s getting closer," Black said with a smile. "We’ve got to put the hit-and-run on him where someone covers in the infield, maybe get him through. He’s getting closer."

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In his third and final at-bat Tuesday, Despaigne swung at the first pitch he saw, producing a weak grounder to second. Despaigne jogged dutifully down the line. Then, as the sixth inning ended, he turned and headed toward the dugout, 0-for-29.

He was grinning.

"Hopefully," Despaigne said, "I'll get the next one."

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Friar talk: The path toward relevance Padres haven't been 2 games over .500 since 2013 By Jeff Sanders5 A.M.APRIL 15, 2015 Not only did Tuesday's 5-1 win over the Diamondbacks, powered by seven strong innings by Odrisamer Despaigne and Justin Upton's second homer, clinch at least a .500 record heading into the team's first off day of the season, it has the Padres on the verge of taking a small yet significant baby step on their path toward relevance:

Two whole games above .500.

Believe it or not (and you probably do), the Padres (5-4) haven't been there since a 5-2 win over the Dodgers on June 21, 2013, moved their record to 38-36.

Yes, almost two years. A glance at the starting lineup that night reveals everything you need to know about the motive behind A.J. Preller's sweeping offseason overhaul. Remember when?

June 21, 2013 Order Tonight's probable lineup 2B Logan Forsythe 1 CF Wil Myers

RF Chris Denorfia 2 C Derek Norris

3B Chase Headley 3 RF Matt Kemp

LF Kyle Blanks 4 LF Justin Upton

1B Jesus Guzman 5 1B Yonder Alonso

C Nick Hundley 6 3B Will Middlebrooks

SS Pedro Ciriaco 7 2B

CF 8 SS Alexi Amarista

SP Clayton Richard 9 SP Brandon Morrow

You'd have to go a few years back – all the way to April 28, 2010 – to find the last time the Padres moved exactly five games over .500. Not coincidently, that was the last time the Padres got out of April with a winning record (15-8) and the last time they came close to a playoff berth.

Dare to dream, right?

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Of course, first thing's first: Brandon Morrow has to pitch the Padres past the Diamondbacks tonight.

AROUND THE WATER COOLER

• Through Monday, Padres catcher Derek Norris led all of baseball with four runners thrown out on the bases. Although an All-Star catcher, the knock on Norris coming over from the American League was his struggles with would-be basestealers, a perceived shortcoming that the Royals took advantage of in last year's wild-card game with the Athletics. But here's the thing: Jon Lester started that game, and as we've been reading about this week, has had a bit of an issue holding runners on due to a case of the yips. "He wouldn’t pick over so the guys who liked to run, ran," Norris told U-T San Diego's Chris Jenkins this week. "Everybody was saying I couldn’t throw anybody out. That’s the bullet you take with a guy who has trouble throwing over – we didn't get into what his reasoning was – but it really wore on me a lot.”

• Padres farm director Sam Geaney shed a little light on the decision to promote prospect Trea Turner all the way from the to Double-A in Fox Sports San Diego's preview: "Anyone who saw Trea in big league camp saw a very talented player with tremendous tools. He does a bit of everything and when he was on the minor league fields he was the best player on the field. We wanted to put him where he would be challenged and San Antonio seemed to be the best fit.

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Gyorko continues to sit as Solarte starts Utility man gets third consecutive start at second base By Dennis Lin6:19 P.M.APRIL 14, 2015 Tuesday, Jedd Gyorko, off to a 3-for-21 start, was on the bench for the third consecutive game. Meanwhile, the club's hottest hitter received his fourth start in as many days.

Including Tuesday, the last three for Yangervis Solarte have come where Gyorko typically stands. Solarte, who made the roster as a utility player, entered the second of three games against the D- backs hitting a team-high .368 (7-for-19) with three doubles and four RBIs.

The switch-hitter went 3-for-4 Saturday, when he started at first base with left-hander pitching for the Giants. Monday, he went 2-for-4 with an RBI double that nearly cleared the wall in right-center.

Gyorko had driven in only one run. He'd drawn one walk, struck out five times and grounded into three double plays.

"He's swinging the bat," Padres manager Bud Black said of Solarte. "We like the way he's swinging. With Jedd, I know that (hitting coaches Mark Kotsay and Alonzo Powell) are working with him on a copule things. I think it'll help Jedd moving forward.

"I wouldn't read a whole lot into it," Black added.

Solarte did commit a throwing error in the second inning Tuesday that led to the D-backs scoring four unearned runs. While Gyorko is the superior second baseman in the field, Solarte's gaffe was seen as uncharacteristic; one major league evaluator said Solarte possesses "some athleticism" and has no glaring issues defensively at his primary positions.

"We like him on our team," said Black, who noted that Solarte appeared in seven of the Padres' first eight games. (Solarte started April 8 at second base).

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Asked if starting at second would continue to be a regular occurrence for Solarte, Black was evasive.

"Now you're starting to get a little tricky," the manager said, smiling wryly.

At any rate, it remains very early in the season. It was only a year ago that Gyorko opened 2-for- 21, though, of course, he continued to struggle through the rest of the first half. He did continue to start, mianly because he was the only second baseman on the roster then.

Gyorko is expected to return to the starting lineup Wednesday.

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Prospect VanMeter undergoes surgery Second baseman suffered fractured left fibula Monday By Dennis Lin1:30 P.M.APRIL 14, 2015 Padres infield prospect Josh VanMeter underwent surgery Tuesday after suffering a fractured fibula in Low -A Fort Wayne's game against Lansing on Monday.

No timetable has been set for VanMeter's return, though the surgery typically requires four months of rehabilitation.

VanMeter, the Padres' fifth-round draft pick in 2013, was placed on the disabled list Tuesday. Nick Vilter, a ninth-round selection last June, was promoted from short-season Single-A Tri-City.

VanMeter was playing second base in the top of the fourth inning Monday. He helped turn a 6-4- 3 double play, but in the process, a Lansing runner's slide made contact with VanMeter, causing an awkward fall and the subsequent injury.

"I'm overwhelmed by all of the love and support," VanMeter said in a release Tuesday. "Thanks to everyone. You guys don't know how much it means. This is a minor setback for a major comeback."

After splitting time last year between second and , VanMeter opened this season as the TinCaps' starting second baseman (Franchy Cordero has started at short). He spent all of 2014 with Fort Wayne, hitting .254 with three home runs and 39 RBIs in 116 games.

VanMeter, an Osswell, Ind., native, was signed by then-area scout Mark Conner in 2013. The Padres promoted Conner to amateur scouting director in November.

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Minors: Justin Hancock under control Recapping Tuesday's Padres minor league games By Jeff Sanders8 A.M.APRIL 15, 2015 TRIPLE-A EL PASO (2-4)

• Reno 4, Chihuahuas 2: RHP Kevin Quackenbush struck out five over two perfect innings in relief of LHP Jason Lane (1-1), who allowed four runs (three earned) on six hits and a walk in seven innings. SS Ramiro Pena (.200) and 3B Brett Wallace (.474) each drove in runs, while RF Rymer Liriano (.167) doubled in four at-bats.

DOUBLE-A SAN ANTONIO (3-3)

• Missions 3, Springfield 0: RHP Justin Hancock (1-1, 3.60) hurled seven shutout innings, scattering seven hits and three strikeouts in his first victory of the season. The sparkling outing comes on the heels of a disastrous debut in which he walked six batters in three short innings of work. LHP Brandon Alger saved his first game with a scoreless ninth and LF Alberth Martinez (.333) hit his first homer of the year.

HIGH SINGLE-A LAKE ELSINORE (3-3)

• High Desert 1, Storm 0 (11): RHP Ryan Butler lower his ERA to 0.82 with six shutout innings. He scattered eight hits and a walk while striking out six in the no-decision. The Storm bullpen was sitting on four shutout innings until the Mavericks pushed across a run in the 11th.

LOW SINGLE-A FORT WAYNE (0-3)

• Lansing 6, TinCaps 4: LHP Thomas Dorminy (0-1) allowed six runs on eight hits and three walks in his 2015 debut, digging Fort Wayne into an early hole. CF Michael Gettys (.308) doubled in a run in five at-bats and LF Edwin Moreno (.333) drove in three runs on two hits. RF Nick Torres (.455) continued a strong start with two hits and two runs scored

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Padres about to have wealth of rotation options With Kennedy, JJ on the mend, manager Black faces tough decisions

By Bill Center / | 57 minutes ago

Bud Black has a way of dealing with questions pertaining to future roster decisions. When asked about where Melvin Upton Jr. will play when he is ready to return from a foot injury sometime next month, Black said: "These things have a way of working themselves out."

Around the same time, Black could be dealing with another roster conundrum. Right now, the rotation is James Shields, Tyson Ross, Andrew Cashner,Odrisamer Despaigne and Brandon Morrow. But Ian Kennedy looks as though he'll be ready to pitch as soon as his 15-day stay on the disabled list with a mild left hamstring strain ends on April 25. AndJosh Johnson is moving quickly in his return from last year's Tommy John surgery.

Padres fans already know what Kennedy can do.

But Johnson was not that long ago one of the most dynamic starting pitchers in the National League with the Marlins. And from the reports from his early bullpen sessions, he might be that good again.

So how will Black get seven Major League starters into a five-man rotation? Despaigne could return to being the long man in the bullpen. But that still leaves the equation of six into five.

Shields has a 2.08 ERA with 15 strikeouts in his first 13 innings. Ross has a 3.75 ERA after two starts after his breakout season of 2014. Cashner has a 4.04 ERA after two starts, but he is coming off a spring that was adversely impacted by the health of his mother in Texas.

Kennedy struck out 207 in 201 innings with the Padres last season. Despaigne has a 0.77 ERA after his first two outings. Morrow didn't allow a run in seven innings in his Padres debut against the Giants.

The six-into-five question might be days away. Kennedy is scheduled to throw a side session Wednesday afternoon, only five days after going on the disabled list.

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Despaigne started in Kennedy's spot Tuesday night and held Arizona to one run on two hits over a seven- inning, 84-pitch effort that impressed D-backs manager Chip Hale.

"He just mixed his pitches really well," said Hale. "We had a hard time. We just couldn't crack the code, I guess. So give him credit."

Despaigne can return to the bullpen -- not that he wants to.

"Obviously, I would prefer to start," Despaigne said through an interpreter Tuesday night. "But I'll pitch where they need me." Notes from the scorebook

• Despaigne is 4-1 with a 1.66 ERA in 65 2/3 innings in 10 games (nine starts) at Petco Park, with 43 strikeouts against 16 walks. He is also 5-4 with a 2.19 ERA in 12 games (11 starts) against NL West opponents.

"That was pretty clean," Black said of Despaigne's 84-pitch outing against Arizona. "O.D. was crisp. He threw a mix of pitches from a variety of arm angles. He was efficient. He doesn't melt. What we saw tonight mirrors Despaigne's good starts."

• Justin Upton is one of three Major League players who has hit safely in all nine games this season (10-for-33). His hitting streak is 11 straight games, dating back to the end of last season. The streak was extended Tuesday night on a 389-foot home run into the second deck at Petco Park. The homer was Upton's second as a Padre and his first as a Padre at Petco Park, where he had hit 10 homers as a visiting player.

• Matt Kemp was 2-for-4 with a triple Tuesday night. It was Kemp's fifth multihit game this season, and he is 9-for-17 with two doubles, two triples, four runs scored and three RBIs over his last four games.

• Wil Myers has hit safely in his last seven starts, going 10-for-33 (.303) with four doubles, six runs and four RBIs. • Yangervis Solarte has reached base at least twice in four of his five starts. He is 8-for- 19 (.421) as a starter, with three doubles and three RBIs. He has a .476 on-base percentage when starting (three games at second, one at first).

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Anderson looks to quiet Padres on Robinson Day By Steve Gilbert / MLB.com | 4/14/2015 7:26 PM ET

The D-backs and Padres wrap up their three-game series Wednesday night at Petco Park with Arizona's Chase Anderson facing off against right-hander Brandon Morrow on Jackie Robinson Day.

Anderson will be making his second start of the season after receiving a no-decision last Friday night against the Dodgers. He was only able to get through five innings and left with the game tied at 3.

Morrow made his Padres debut last Wednesday and held the Giants scoreless for seven innings, while striking out seven.

"He's got a lot of weapons," said Padres manager Bud Black. "He's got fastball velocity -- when the fastball is down it has sink, a good overhand curve, slider and a wicked change."

Things to know about this game

• San Diego left fielder Justin Upton has a hit in each of the team's first nine games of the season, tying him with Billy Butler of the A's for the longest hit streak in 2015. Dating back to Sept. 26 of last season, Upton has an 11-game hitting streak.

• Oddly enough, none of Anderson's 21 starts during his rookie year came at Petco Park. Wednesday will be his first.

• This is the final game of the Padres' initial homestand. They will travel to Chicago on Friday to open a seven- game road trip that also includes four games in Colorado.

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Despaigne making the most of his rotation stint By Corey Brock / MLB.com | @FollowThePadres | April 14, 2015 SAN DIEGO -- Shortly after the Padres broke camp in Arizona, and before the regular season, San Diego manager Bud Black called Odrisamer Despaigneinto his office to inform him he wouldn't be the team's fifth starter.

"He took it fine. He's a competitor," Black recalled. "We explained it to him that this is a long season, and we're going to need contributions from everybody at some point along the way." That day came a lot sooner than any expected. Four days into the regular season, the team turned to Despaigne to take the place of pitcher Ian Kennedy, who landed on the disabled list with a strained left hamstring. The early returns for Despaigne -- much like many of his eight starts at Petco Park a year ago -- are very good, especially on Tuesday when he limited the D-backs to one run in seven innings as the Padres beat Arizona, 5-1.

Add that with the 14 consecutive batters he retired while filling in for Kennedy last week, and Despaigne has allowed one run in 11 2/3 innings in 2015 -- lowering his career ERA at Petco Park to a scant 1.66 in 65 2/3 frames.

"The good games that he's thrown sort of mirrored that one," said Black, more or less echoing the sentiments he had a year ago watching Despaigne pitch at home. "That was a mix of pitches from a variety of arm angles. Efficient, around the plate, deceptive, doesn't melt." After losing the battle for the fifth starter job to Brandon Morrow, Despaigne was designated as the team's long reliever. He threw 84 pitches on Tuesday and could probably push into the 90s the next time out next Tuesday in Colorado, which could be his last start before Kennedy returns from the disabled list.

"Obviously, I would prefer to start, but I'm a pitcher, and I love to pitch," Despaigne said through an interpreter. "That's what I'm going to do whenever the team calls on me. That's what I'm here to do." Catcher Derek Norris, who got several chances to work with Despaigne in and again last week, got his first real extended look at the Cuban defector and liked what he saw -- though he wasn't always sure what was coming and where.

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"He's someone who is very difficult to pick up angles with," Norris said. "With hitting, you try to pick up where that arm angle is going to be. For him, he's always changing arm angles. Sometimes, I don't think he knows what he's doing before he's doing it. He does whatever. He's funky, but in a great way."

To be sure, Despaigne made for some uncomfortable at-bats for D-backs hitters. "He's throwing a lot of strikes. He pitched backwards a lot, so that makes it extra tough," said D- backs right fielder Mark Trumbo. "Do you want to offer at that first pitch offspeed and make a soft out? It's a gamble. I think any team would have a tough time tonight."

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Hancock pairs with relief for Double-A shutout By Bill Center / San Diego Padres | 8:38 AM ET

Right-hander Justin Hancock and two relievers combined on a seven-hit shutout Tuesday night for Double-A San Antonio's 3-0 win at Springfield.

Hancock, 24, who spent much of Spring Training in the Padres' Major League camp, allowed seven hits over seven innings. He had three strikeouts without walking a batter while evening his record at 1-1 and lowering his ERA to 3.60.

Left-handed relievers Chris Nunn and Brandon Alger each had a in a perfect inning. Alger got his first save of the season.

Left fielder Alberth Martinez homered in three at-bats for the 3-3 Missions. Casey McElroy (.462) was 2-for-4 with a RBI.

Fort Wayne TinCaps second baseman Josh VanMeter underwent successful surgery Tuesday morning on the fractured fibula in his left leg suffered Monday night.

The Padres' three other affiliates lost Tuesday night. Around the farm Triple-A El Paso (2-4): Reno 4, Chihuahuas 2. Left-hander Jason Lane (1-1, 5.25 ERA) allowed four runs (three earned) on six hits and one walk in seven innings. Right-handed reliever Kevin Quackenbush struck out five in two perfect innings. Center fielder Abraham Almonte (.391) was 1-for-3 with a double and a walk and scored both El Paso runs. Class A Advanced Lake Elsinore (3-3): High Desert 1, Storm 0 (11 innings). Right-hander Ryan Butler (0.82 ERA) allowed eight hits and a walk with six strikeouts over six scoreless innings. Right- hander Matthew Shepherd allowed two hits with four strikeouts in two scoreless innings. Right-hander Luis Hernandez took the loss, allowing a run on two hits and a walk while striking out five in two innings. The Storm had only four hits. Class A Fort Wayne (0-3): Lansing 6, TinCaps 4. Left fielder Edwin Moreno was 2-for-5 with three RBIs. Right fielder Nick Torres (.455) was 2-for-4 with two runs scored. Left-handed starter Thomas Dorminy (0-1) allowed six runs on eight hits and three walks with five strikeouts in five innings. Right- hander Jimmi Brasoban allowed a hit and a walk with three walks in three scoreless innings. 17

J-Up and away: Padres even series behind Upton, Despaigne By Corey Brock and Steve Gilbert / MLB.com | April 14, 2015 SAN DIEGO -- Odrisamer Despaigne, filling in for an injured Ian Kennedy, allowed one run over seven innings Tuesday as the Padres defeated the D-backs, 5-1, at Petco Park.

Despaigne has stepped into Kennedy's spot in the rotation since Kennedy suffered a strain of his left hamstring last Thursday. In 11 2/3 innings this season -- all innings he took over from the injured Kennedy -- Despaigne has allowed just one run.

"The good games he's thrown sort of mirrored that one," said Padres manager Bud Black. "That was a mix of pitches from a variety of arm angles. [He was] efficient around the plate, deceptive, doesn't melt. You feel comfortable with him because you know you're going to get a pretty workman-like outing. It was a very well-pitched game."

Justin Upton hit a home run for the Padres (5-4), his second of the season and his first at Petco Park in a home jersey.

The D-backs (4-4) got an RBI double by Mark Trumbo but little else in the way of offense to back starter Jeremy Hellickson (0-2).

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED Up and away with J-Up: The addition of Upton has been, in a small sample size, a big hit for the Padres in the middle of the order. His home run in the fifth inning -- traveling 389 feet -- extended his hitting streak to 11 games, going back to last season.

Rough beginning: Hellickson never got a chance to settle in before the Padres jumped on him. Hellickson gave up a leadoff double to Wil Myers and wound up allowing three runs in the first, putting the D-backs in an early hole.

Six is the magic number: It certainly is for the Padres' two middle-of-the-order bats, Matt Kemp and Upton. Kemp knocked in a run as part of a three-run first inning and Upton had a solo home run in the fifth inning. Each have knocked in six runs this season. Missed opportunity: The D-backs had a chance to do some damage against Despaigne in the first inning when A.J. Pollock drew a leadoff walk and reached on a fielding error

18 by third baseman Will Middlebrooks., though, flew out and David Peralta lined into a double play to end the threat.

QUOTABLE "He's not a guy who is going to strike out a ton of guys, but he's the type of guy that you go back and say you got yourself out. That's his game. He's not overpowering. He's about 90-91, with a couple of different breaking balls and a nice changeup he throws to both sides of the plate. He's got all the pitches." -- Trumbo on Despaigne "For him, he's always changing arm angles. Sometimes, I don't think he knows what he's doing before he's doing it. He does whatever. He's funky, but in a great way." -- Padres catcher Derek Norris on catching Despaigne

SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS The Padres scored three runs in the first inning Tuesday, giving them seven first-inning runs in their first nine games. What's the big deal? Consider that they scored just 62 runs in the first frame all of last season.

DESPAIGNE'S PETCO DOMINANCE Despaigne has been a hit since making his big league debut last season. The Cuban defector has pitched exceedingly well at Petco Park, posing a 1.64 ERA in his first 65 2/3 innings at his home ballpark. The road? Eh, not so much. He has a 5.31 ERA away from San Diego in 42 2/3 career innings.

WHAT'S NEXT D-backs: Chase Anderson will take the mound for the D-backs in the finale, as Arizona tries to capture its second straight series. Anderson has never pitched at Petco Park. Padres: The series concludes at 6:10 p.m. PT on Wednesday, as the Padres' No. 5 starter, Brandon Morrow, makes his second start for San Diego. His first start went supremely well, as he tossed seven shutout innings in a victory over the Giants.

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In Petco Park garden, Padres pick peppers that pack plenty of heat

BY TIM NEWCOMB Posted: Tue Apr. 14, 2015

The Padres' pitchers pack plenty of heat in the bullpen—hot pepper style, of course.

Luke Yoder, Petco Park’s director of field operations, is entering his fourth season tending his Padres garden, growing patches of produce in the home bullpen, visitors’ bullpen and under the batter’s eye.

“If you name it, we’ve grown it or have it,” Yoder tells SI.com.

But in the summer, Yoder turns to his specialty: hot peppers. These prized plants take root in the home bullpen. Last season, he had 18 varieties from 15 countries. “Most are hot, packing heat,” Yoder says. “The pitching coaches and players like to play with them and pop one every once in a while to get them going.”

The range of peppers includes the Trinidad Moruga Scorpion—once believed the hottest pepper in the world at 1.25 million Scoville Heat Units—right down to a more mundane jalapeño that register only 15,000 to 30,000 heat units. The peppers have even drawn the interest from concessionaire Delaware North’s head chef, who has taken some of them and worked them into ballpark dishes. “When you have a hot pepper, it can go a long way,” Yoder says. The Padres’ peppers—along with the tomatoes grown under the batter’s eye—have given life to vats of salsa for new dishes, such as the sweet and spicy bullpen relish for a burger or the strikeout salsa that topped a pork belly taco.

Yoder started his growing four seasons ago, beginning in just the home bullpen, even if the Sports Turf Managers Association member spends plenty of time maintaining his all- organic patches.

“I was having a conversation with the head chef at the time,” he says. “He thought it would be cool and would love to use it.” With a bachelor of science from Clemson in horticulture and a history of ballpark garden plots when he worked for the Cubs' Triple A affiliate, Yoder cut out a small area in Petco Park and started planting. Over time, he added dwarf citrus trees in the visitors’ bullpen and plants under the batter’s eye, eventually maxing out his growing space.

Yoder mixes the plants based on the season and light requirements, having grown blueberries, avocados, pomegranates, lettuce, beets, onions, garlic, carrots and radishes, to name a few. “I stick with the stuff that people like,” he says. “I have something out there for most of the season. We always have something to pick.” The grounds crew,

20 front office personnel and players—some more into it than others—enjoy the bounty of the garden, when the head chef isn’t swinging by to create a new salsa.

And Yoder isn't alone in the NL West garden game. The Giants picked up plenty of press in 2013 for their dedicated garden space in the outfield, and the Rockieshave a garden on the Coors Field grounds. But Yoder was doing it first, and he’s not stuck in a rut. This year, a couple of the Padres' Hispanic pitchers requested plants with which he wasn’t familiar. But they brought seeds to give him a start.

Yoder is up to the gardening task, looking for whatever ups the heat in the Padres’ bullpen.

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