Padres Press Clips Saturday, August 12, 2017

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Padres play a strong Hand to slow Dodgers' roll UT San Diego Sanders 2

Dodgers a litmus test for Andy Green's Padres UT San Diego Sanders 5

First pitch: Yates on leave; Valdez up from PCL UT San Diego Sanders 7

No locals this year, but Perfect Game still has its stars UT San Diego Maffei 8

Padres Hand-cuff Dodgers after HRs set stage MLB.com Cassavell/Gurnick 11

Margot belts two game-tying homers MLB.com Cassavell 13

Myers impresses young Dodgers fan MLB.com Kleinschmidt 15

Chacin, Padres eye another win vs. Dodgers MLB.com Ruiz 16

Green won't rely on convention with young 'pen MLB.com Ruiz 17

Pirela's homer in 8th leads Padres to 4-3 win over Dodgers Associated Press AP 18

Padres On Deck: Naylor, Guerra, Wingenter Lead FriarWire Center 21 AA-Missions to Win

Braves vs. White Sox is an epic battle for MLB's Yahoo! Sports Passan 24 best farm system

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Padres play a strong Hand to slow Dodgers' roll

Jeff Sanders

For all the home runs the Dodgers hit, for all their depth in the rotation, for all the momentum they have in this historic of theirs, there’s talk that a good left-handed reliever is all that stands between Los Angeles and its first World Series title since 1988. On Friday, Brad Hand was the left-hander standing in the Dodgers’ way.

Manuel Margot hit two game-tying homers, Jose Pirela added a go-ahead shot and Hand recorded the final four outs of the Padres’ 4-3 win at Dodger Stadium, a tightrope walk that saw the All-Star reliever cut down the heart of Los Angeles order.

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“You see the big name guys here,” Padres manager Andy Green said. “He goes through big name hitters and he does it well.”

Friday’s victims were as big as they get: Corey Seager, Justin Turner and Cody Bellinger.

In order.

No problem.

A day after his 24-inning scoreless streak came to a thunderous end, Hand struck out Chris Taylor to strand the tying run at second in the eighth.

Then he struck out the reigning NL Rookie of the Year (Seager) on four pitches to start the ninth. He got the NL’s batting leader (Turner) to pop out to right. Then he fanned the next NL Rookie of the Year (Bellinger) with a 96 mph fastball to silence a crowd of 52,898.

Most of them were on their feet in anticipation of the Dodgers’ 47th win in 55 games – somehow, someway.

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Hand sent them home with nothing but a bitter reminder that the Dodgers could have him instead of Tony Cingrani (2 2/3 IP, 3 ER) or Tony Watson (3 IP, 3 ER) at the trade deadline.

The Padres’ price ultimately proved too high for Hand’s suitors.

For good reason if you ask Green.

“That's as tough a four guys as you've got to navigate at any point in the season,” Green said. “I don't want to say he did it with ease, but he did it with a lot of poise and confidence.”

Without too much thought, too.

Thursday’s debacle – Scooter Gennett’s grand slam after entering mid at-bat only to walk Joey Votto – was behind Hand. Friday’s predicament in front of a hostile sellout crowd didn’t raise the heart rate much.

“You honestly don’t hear the crowd when you're out there on the mound,” Hand said after throwing 10 of his 16 pitches for strikes. “It doesn't matter if there's one person or 50, 000 people. You don't hear noise. You hear your own thoughts and game plan.”

The Padres’ plan called for Clayton Richard to hang with Rich Hill and for left-hander Jose Torres (1 2/3 IP, 0 ER) to hand a lead to Hand in the eighth.

Even without much command, Richard gutted his way through six innings of three-run ball. He struck out five, walked four and hit two, including Hill on the Adam’s apple in the fourth.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts sprinted to the plate as Hill hit the dirt. After a visit with Roberts and trainers as Dodgers fans booed Richard, Hill remained in the game to turn in two more scoreless innings before exiting with two runs allowed in six innings.

His replacement, Ross Stripling, surrendered Margot’s second homer to center field with two outs in the seventh and then Pirela’s 110 mph blast to left to give the Padres a 4-3 lead in the eighth.

“After that was hit, I thought that's the run we need to win the game,” Margot, speaking through an interpreter, said of Pirela’s go-ahead homer. “I thought we can win now. We have Hand coming up after and for me he's one of the best relievers in the game right now. After we scored that run, we've locked it up.

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“We have a chance to win now.”

Pirela was 8-for-13 with two homers, four RBIs and four walks in four games in Cincinnati and is slugging .704 in 15 games as the Padres’ new three-hole hitter.

Meantime, Margot has 12 homers on the season and seven since July 23, when he returned from paternity leave.

His first on Friday started a two-run rally in the third that ended with Cory Spangenberg’s to right opening a 2-1 lead. Hunter Renfroe was thrown out by Yasiel Puig from right field on the hit, the last scoring threat against Hill.

“I don't know if it has to do so much with power,” Margot said. “I think it's the contact you put on the ball and the contact is the result of your swing. If you make good contact, then I know I have the strength to hit it out.”

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Dodgers a litmus test for Andy Green's Padres

Jeff Sanders

The Dodgers’ 81 wins entering Friday were 10 more than then next best team, more than any San Diego team has won over the course of an entire season since 2010. They’re on pace to shatter a franchise record that dates back to the 1953 Brooklyn Dodgers’ 105-win season. They’ve got a shot at the major league record (116 wins) after rattling of 46 wins in 54 games since June 7, the best 54-game stretch in more than 100 years.

There’s 240 million reasons to think that run continues through the weekend. Andy Green’s Padres just don’t think like that.

“I don't think anyone is in awe,” Green said Friday afternoon at Dodger Stadium. “We've got a healthy respect for what they've accomplished. We know we have to play good baseball if we're going to beat them.”

The Padres have done that that in spurts since falling to 15-30 on May 20.

Although they’ve lost seven of nine against Los Angeles this season and five of seven to start this road trip, the Padres – owners of baseball’s third cheapest opening day payroll ($71 million), the majors’ second-youngest roster, a team that has carried three Rule 5 picks all year – has played .500 ball over its last 70 games.

Maybe that’s not much on the national stage. In the Padres clubhouse, it’s a start.

Which is what the franchise has sought for quite some time.

“I was talking about that on the bus with Clayton (Richard) the other day, how we’ve started creating our own culture here,” Padres first baseman Wil Myers said. “The more good guys you have in the clubhouse, the more culture will start to form. We’re already taking steps in the right direction. I think we’re on the right track.”

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A weekend series against the Dodgers is the litmus test they’re looking for.

“It’s good for us,” Green said. “It’s good for us to learn where we are. It’s good for us to learn what we need to work on. It’s good for us to see how high the bar actually is to be a playoff team and not just a .500 team. You welcome those things.”

The bar is indeed high in Los Angeles.

The Dodgers’ plus-204 run differential is tops in the majors, 44 better than the Astros. The Padres’ is an MLB-worst minus-151, including minus-41 in nine head-to-head meetings that saw Dodgers manager Dave Roberts bump Green in a particularly tense benches-clearing incident in San Diego in on June 30.

Both managers were ejected. The Dodgers went on to win a 10-4 romp. Afterward Green implored his team not to be intimidated by baseball’s winningest, richest team.

The Padres’ second-year manager has put that run-in in the past but the sentiment remains the same.

“There was emotion and passion and desire and I expect to shake his hand, smile at him, wish him well and then try to go beat him,” Green said before he and Roberts smiled while exchanging the lineup cards Friday night. “That's where my mind is with that.”

Of course, Green’s roster is in a vastly different place since the Dodgers took three of four at Dodger Stadium to open the season.

Carlos Asuaje, Cory Spangenberg and Jose Pirela have fought their way from spring training demotions to become regulars in the lineup. Manuel Margot has emerged from a DL stint to become the first Padre center fielder to hit 10 homers in his rookie season. Hunter Renfroe is four homers shy of Nate Colbert’s rookie home record (24).

“I think we're a young, fun, energetic group,” Spangenberg said. “I think we're competing. We still make mistakes here and there. We're learning. I think we'll be an exciting team in the next year or two. I feel like we're getting better as we go.”

Said Green: “For us, it's nice to come back and visit them later in the year. They handled us earlier in the year. Our personnel has changed. Theirs is largely the same. But we've got young guys who are hungry, who like playing on a stage like this, in front of a crowd like this.”

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First pitch: Yates on leave; Valdez up from PCL

Jeff Sanders

The Padres are shuffling their bullpen slightly following Thursday’s controversial decision to bring Brad Hand into the middle of an at-bat against Joey Votto: Right-hander Kirby Yates was placed on the family leave list and will be away from the Padres for at least three days.

In his place, right-hander Jose Valdez was flying in from -A El Paso and was expected to arrive in time to help a bullpen that has a 5.96 ERA since Brandon Maurer and Ryan Buchter were traded July 24 to Kansas City.

Valdez allowed eight runs – seven earned – in 10 innings in his previous stints with the Padres. With El Paso, the 27-year-old Valdez was 2-2 with a 5.16 ERA, 23 strikeouts and six walks in 22 2/3 innings.

Yates, 30, took the loss Thursday when Hand entered in the middle of a 2-2 count to Votto, walked the Reds left-hander and gave up a grand slam.

Yates has struck out 56 and walked 13 in 38 innings but has allowed eight earned runs over his last 1 2/3 innings, pushing his ERA from 2.17 to 3.92.

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No locals this year, but Perfect Game still has its stars

) John Maffei

It’s happened before.

In 2005 and 2008 — in the infancy of the Perfect Game All-American Classic, one of high school baseball’s premier summer showcase events — there were no San Diego players in the game.

Despite seven area players in this week’s Area Code Games in Long Beach — another prestigious showcase event — there are no San Diego players in Sunday’s Perfect Game All-American Classic at .

Brad Clement, chief executive officer of Perfect Game, said that doesn’t mean San Diego lacks talent for the coming season and shouldn’t detract from the quality of the game.

“San Diego has some really good players, but none jumped out for us,” Clement said. “Naturally, we’d like to have a San Diego player, and have in the past, but we have some of the best players in the country, including the top three in the country.”

Since 2003, 25 San Diego prep players have participated in the Perfect Game All-American Classic, including first-round draft picks (Mission Bay), John Drennen (Rancho Bernardo), Nick Noonan (Francis Parker), Ian Clarkin (Madison), (Cathedral Catholic), Alex Jackson (Rancho Bernardo) and Mickey Moniak (La Costa Canyon).

Bush, Noonan, Sean O’Sullivan (Valhalla) and Tony Wolters (Rancho Buena Vista) are local alums to have reached the big leagues.

Nick Allen (Francis Parker), Calvin Mitchell (Rancho Bernardo), Ben Ramirez (Eastlake) and Kyle Hurt (Torrey Pines) played in last year’s game.

David Gallegos, who led Eastlake High to the San Diego Section Open Division title last season, a No. 1 ranking in the state and No. 9 nationally, will coach the West team in Sunday’s contest.

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He won’t have 6-foot-6 right-handed pitcher/first baseman Grant Holman, who was 10-0 as a junior last season, hit 12 home runs and was named section Player of the Year.

Gallegos, however, will have shortstop Brice Turang of Corona Santiago, ranked as the No. 1 prep player in the nation.

The East team boasts right-hander Ethan Hankins (Forsyth Central High, Georgia), ranked No. 2; right- hander Kumar Rocker (North Oconee, Georgia), ranked No. 3; catcher/pitcher Will Banfield (Brookwood, Georgia), ranked No. 4; and right-hander Slade Cecconi (Trinity Prep, Florida), ranked No. 5.

Of the 53 players on Sunday’s rosters, 51 have committed to colleges.

Vanderbilt is the big winner with nine commits while four are headed to Mississippi State and Louisville and three to Arizona, Miami and Texas A&M.

Sixteen of the pitchers have fastballs clocked at 92 mph or better, highlighted by Rocker (98), Cecconi (97), Mason Denaburg (97), Kevin Vargas (96), Kendall Logan Simmons (95) and Cole Wilcox (95).

The West roster features catcher Noah Naylor (St. Joan of Arc, Ontario, Canada), the brother of Padres’ No. 10 prospect Josh Naylor, who was the 12th overall draft pick of the Miami Marlins in 2015 and traded to the Padres in the Andrew Cashner deal.

Josh Naylor is currently at -A San Antonio.

Last year’s game, won 13-0 by the West, produced the top three selections in the Draft — shortstop (San Juan Capistrano JSerra, Minnesota Twins), pitcher/shortstop Hunter Greene (Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, Cincinnati Reds) and left-hander MacKenzie Gore (Whiteville, N.C., Padres).

Of the 55 players in last year’s game, 42 were drafted, signing for bonuses totaling $69.6 million.

Over the years, 187 Perfect Game All-Americans have been drafted in the first round and 142 have played in the major leagues.

Some of those include Kris Bryant, , Sonny Gray, Freddie Freeman, Andrew McCutchen, Buster Posey, Madison Bumgarner, Eric Hosmer, , Addison Russell, Joey

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Gallo, Corey Seager, Jason Heyward, Yasmani Grandal, Tom Beckham, Lance McCullers Jr., Cameron Maybin, and Padres catcher Austin Hedges.

“Our people work really hard evaluating players,” Clement said. “You never know what you’ll see at our game, but you’ll see some great players, future big leaguers.”

PREP BASEBALL

What: Perfect Game All-American Classic.

Format: Top seniors of 2018 in East vs. West nine-inning game.

When: Sunday, 5 p.m.

Where: Petco Park.

Admission: $5.

On the air: MLB Network, Sirius 215, XM 178.

Rosters online: perfectgame.org

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Padres Hand-cuff Dodgers after HRs set stage By AJ Cassavell and Ken Gurnick / MLB.com

LOS ANGELES -- Manuel Margot slugged two game-tying home runs, Jose Pirela led off the eighth inning with a tiebreaking homer off Ross Stripling and Brad Hand set down L.A.'s Nos. 1-4 hitters for a four-out save as the Padres surprised the Dodgers with a 4-3 win Friday night at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers, with the best record in baseball, got three hits and two RBI singles from rookie sensation Cody Bellinger (who will wear the nickname Codylove on his jersey for Players Weekend) and a clutch RBI double from Austin Barnes for a 3-2 lead after five innings. Bellinger has 78 RBIs in 95 games and 11 in his last 12 games.

But Stripling (1-4), who took over after Rich Hill went six innings with nine strikeouts, allowed Margot's second homer with two out in the seventh and Pirela's game-winner in the eighth. Margot has 12 homers and seven in his last 18 games. Pirela, meanwhile, has eight homers, four in his last eight games. And there's no question which is his favorite.

"This has to be No. 1," Pirela said through a team interpreter. "You have to live in the present, and it was a decisive against a really good team." Padres starter Clayton Richard, who hit Hill with a pitch in the neck when he squared to bunt in the fourth inning, battled through six innings for a no-decision. Hill was taken to a hospital, where X-rays were negative, the club reported.

Richard is winless in his last 10 starts. Reliever Jose Torres (6-3) was credited with the victory.

"A really, really elite guy," manager Dave Roberts said of Hand, whom the Dodgers attempted to acquire before the non-waiver Trade Deadline. "He's tough. We had our opportunities. But at home for us, being behind, we expect to win." It was quite the bounceback effort from Hand, who had his two-month-long scoreless streak snapped on Scooter Gennett's grand slam Thursday in Cincinnati. Hand mowed through Chris Taylor, Corey Seager and Justin Turner before punching out Bellinger to end the game.

"He's incredibly resilient," said Padres skipper Andy Green. "That's as tough a four-guy stretch as you're going to have to navigate through at any point in the season. I wouldn't say he did it with ease, but he did it with a lot of poise and confidence" Hand locks down the save

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MOMENTS THAT MATTERED Dare you: Yasiel Puig has only four outfield assists this year, which doesn't even rank in the top 10 in the Majors, because most teams simply won't run on him. The Padres tried and found out why, as Puig threw out Hunter Renfroe at the plate trying to score from second on Cory Spangenberg's bases-loaded single with two out in the third inning. Statcast™clocked Puig's throw at 96.2 mph at a distance of 270 feet.

"He's a Gold Glove right fielder," said Roberts. "The plays he makes with his arm, the plays he makes with his glove and the many plays he makes to deter a baserunner from advancing."

Statcast: Puig's 96-mph throw Taxed Bullpen: Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen was unavailable after pitching in three of the previous four games, Roberts said. With Jansen and four other relievers used Thursday night, when starter Yu Darvish lasted only five innings, Roberts went with Stripling to pitch the seventh and eighth innings, and the Padres turned a one-run deficit into a one-run lead against the long reliever.

"When I let go of both pitches I thought they were safe. I thought there wasn't going to be any damage. Surprising, to say the least," Stripling said. "It stinks. As this long guy, I don't get put into high-pressure situations very often, so you want to take advantage of them so you get more of them and then you mess one up." Margot's two-homer game QUOTABLE "I thought he was crazy." -- Bellinger, on seeing Hill pop up and jog to first after being hit with a pitch on the throat "These games are the fun ones, where it's close, it's back-and-forth. They test you a little bit, make sure you're resilient through adversity." -- Richard SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS The Dodgers are playing .770 ball at home, but have lost the opener of their last two homestands.

Pirela's decisive blast left his bat at 110 mph, according to Statcast™. It tied his his hardest-hit home run since Statcast™ was introduced in 2015. WHAT'S NEXT Padres: Jhoulys Chacin will start against the Dodgers on Saturday, with first pitch slated for 6:10 p.m. PT. The veteran right-hander was tagged for a career-high nine runs in Los Angeles on Opening Day. Since then, however, he's limited the Dodgers to a run in 10 1/3 frames over two starts. Dodgers: Hyun-Jin Ryu, who gets the call for L.A. on Saturday, is coming off his best start in years -- seven scoreless innings and one hit allowed to the Mets at Citi Field. He has a 2.08 ERA in his last six starts and is 4-1 with a 2.16 ERA against San Diego.

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Margot belts two game-tying homers

By AJ Cassavell / MLB.com

LOS ANGELES -- The Dodgers twice led the Padres on Friday night. Manuel Margot twice made sure the leads didn't hold. With a pair of game-tying home runs out of the leadoff spot, Margot continued terrorizing his team's division rival while also maintaining his power surge in the Padres' 4-3 victory at Dodger Stadium. The 22-year-old center fielder is slashing .351/.405/.676 against Los Angeles, and he has seven home runs in his past 14 games to bring his season total to 12.

"There's 20-homer pop in him," manager Andy Green said. "Didn't necessarily expect him to start pushing towards that his rookie season. Some guys, it looks like it's going to take them longer to get there than other guys, but he's starting to put himself in a better position to hit.

"We're excited about what he's doing and the way he competes." Green on Margot and Hand Friday was Margot's second two-homer game of his young career, having also done it against the Giants, another National League West rival, in the Padres' home opener. His first game-tying shot vs. the Dodgers came in the third on a Rich Hill curveball, considered one of the best breaking pitches in baseball. Ross Stripling was Margot's next victim, with Margot sending a fastball up in the zone a Statcast™- projected 405 feet to dead center. At night at Dodger Stadium, that's no easy feat, but Margot said quality contact allowed the ball to go over the fence.

"It doesn't necessarily have to do so much with power," Margot said through a team interpreter. "I think it's really the contact you put on the ball, and the contact is the result of your swing. If you end up making good contact, then I know that I have the strength to hit it out."

Margot declined to say Green was underselling him at 20 home runs a season, pointing out he's a young player on a still inexperienced team.

"It's a process of learning," Margot said. "The more you learn, the more you work, the more you try to absorb in this game, in this business, you're going to be better. And I think that's listening to your teammates, that's listening to everyone, and you're going to do that and get better as an individual and get better as a team."

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In his team's youth, Margot sees potential. The Dodgers, by record, are the best team in baseball, having lost only six times in their past 32 games. The Padres delivered two of those losses, with Margot homering in both games.

The Padres are working toward making both of those events occur more regularly.

"Ultimately, we can do that in the future, where we're playing and competing with this team or any other team," Margot said. "If that means ultimately that thinking we can win a championship, too, I think that's on the table."

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Wil Myers' foul catch in the stands resulted in the cutest reaction from this young Dodgers fan

By Jessica Kleinschmidt

Imagine enjoying a normal day at the ballpark and being able to be up close and personal with one of the players you spent a few innings watching. A young Dodgers fan experienced this on Friday night as Los Angeles hosted the Padres, but from the opposing team.

Chris Taylor smacked a foul ball off a Clayton Richard offering toward the right side of the field and into the stands. Wil Myersran to make the grab over the fan, who was attempting the same thing. The 2016 All-Star made the grab -- much to the surprise of the kid.

And his reaction … priceless.

Myers walked away after making the play and even though the fan was noticeably in shock, the smile on his face didn't go away.

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Chacin, Padres eye another win vs. Dodgers

By Nathan Ruiz / MLB.com | +

Right-hander Jhoulys Chacin, one of the only pitchers to beat the Dodgers in recent weeks, will toe the rubber for the Padres when they face the National League West leaders and left-hander Hyun-Jin Ryu on Saturday at Dodger Stadium.

Chacin grinded through five shutout innings against the Dodgers in a 5-3 victory on July 2 at Petco Park. Los Angeles rattled off 11 straight wins afterward and has gone 26-5 since, so a repeat for Chacin won't come easily. He has a 7.36 ERA on the road, compared to a 1.86 mark at home, though he has a 3.21 ERA in his past 12 starts overall.

"He's been remarkably better as the season's progressed," Padres manager Andy Green said. "He's thrown the ball really well for us. He's been our most consistent starter the entire season."

Ryu will be making his first start against the Padres this season. He is 4-1 with a 2.19 ERA against them in his career. Things to know about this game

• Chacin last pitched at Dodger Stadium on Opening Day, and he struggled mightily. In his first start with San Diego, Chacin allowed nine runs in 3 2/3 innings.

• Ryu began the second half of the season on the disabled list, but since his return, he has been among the best at getting ahead. His 74.2 first-pitch strike percentage since the All-Star break is tops in the NL among starters who have faced at least 50 batters.

• Padres All-Star Brad Hand has been dominant against the Dodgers. The left-handed closer hasn't allowed a run his past 12 appearances against Los Angeles, striking out 26 in 14 1/3 innings, including a four-out, three-K save Friday night.

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Green won't rely on convention with young 'pen

By Nathan Ruiz / MLB.com LOS ANGELES -- A day later, Padres manager Andy Green wouldn't have handled his bullpen any differently.

All-Star left-hander Brad Hand hadn't pitched earlier than the ninth inning in his past eight appearances before Green called upon him in the seventh inning Thursday against the Reds, entering to face Joey Votto after the left- handed slugger worked a 2-2 count against Kirby Yates. Green explained his rationale in depth after Hand allowed a go-ahead grand slam toScooter Gennett, ending the lefty's 24-inning scoreless streak in the Padres' 10-3 loss.

Hand assumed ninth-inning duties when the Padres traded closer Brandon Maurer, as well as setup man Ryan Buchter and starter Trevor Cahill, to the Royals on July 24. But since then, both he and Green have emphasized that Hand could be used before the ninth should the situation demand it.

"I didn't wake up in the morning and say, 'I want to find a 2-2 situation to put Brad Hand into,'" Green said Friday before the Padres' series opener at Dodger Stadium. "I don't spend a lot of time thinking about that.

"I don't like different for the sake of being different. I like different with a purpose." The trade with Kansas City has left the Padres with an inexperienced bullpen. Four of their seven relievers are rookies after Jose Valdez was recalled before Friday's series against the Dodgers when Yates was placed on the family leave list. Given the circumstances, Green was willing to try something considered unconventional.

"When you have a bullpen that's been completely remade post-trade with a number of young guys down there … you better allow yourself out-of-the-box [ideas] from time to time if you want to come up with some unique way to navigate the end of that lineup," Green said. One result of the trade is rookie Phil Maton sliding into a setup role. The right-hander started the year as Triple-A El Paso's closer and has a 4.68 ERA through 27 games.

Maton said he could relate to Hand's Thursday experience, having been used before the ninth on occasion with El Paso. He described the feeling as "a sudden rush of adrenaline."

"It's more just a shock," Maton said. "You spend the whole day preparing for the ninth inning, kind of seeing how a situation's going to play out, how many runs we're ahead by, what needs to happen, [then] shifting your mindset." 17

As a Major Leaguer, Maton hasn't had much of a set role, appearing in a spectrum of innings. The same is true for the majority of the Padres' bullpen, and although Maton said it keeps him more focused, knowing his name could be called at any time, Green said he would prefer for the young pitchers to work their way into set innings.

"We're a very young bullpen right now," Green said. "We're searching for defined roles. We're searching for guys to rise up and claim roles. That's what happens when you trade two of your back-end relievers. It's a challenge for us at this point in time."

Pirela's homer in 8th leads Padres to 4- 3 win over Dodgers

Associated Press

LOS ANGELES -- The win total may not be where the San Diego Padres would like, though they have shown some power this season.

Baseball's top team, the Los Angeles Dodgers, got a firsthand look at that Friday, when the Padres hit three solo home runs in a 4-3 victory.

Manuel Margot homered twice and Jose Pirela hit a tiebreaking drive in the eighth to push San Diego's record to 51-64.

"We're probably too dependent on the home run over the course of the season," said Padres manager Andy Green. "We get a large percentage of our runs from the home run. I like to manufacture."

The Padres are 15th out of baseball's 30 teams with 144 home runs.

Margot's two homers gave the rookie 12 on the season. Pirela, now hitting third in San Diego's lineup, has eight.

Los Angeles reliever Ross Stripling (1-4) gave up Margot's second home run to tie the game in the seventh and then Pirela's drive in the next inning.

Cody Bellinger had three hits and two RBI for the Dodgers, who lost for only the fifth time in 31 games.

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"The story is we had opportunities and had Clayton Richard on the ropes and had some good at- bats, and hit some balls hard but just couldn't really get that big inning," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.

Richard started for the Padres and went six innings, surrendering three runs on eight hits and four walks. He struck out five.

Jose Torres (6-3), called up Friday for the fifth time this season, went 1 2/3 innings to earn the win. Brad Hand threw the last 1 1/3 innings for his ninth save. HAND DAZZLES

Hand had a 24-inning scoreless streak snapped Thursday when he gave up three runs on two homers to Cincinnati. On Friday, he retired Corey Seager, Justin Turner and Bellinger in order in the ninth.

"I just think he's incredibly special," Green said. "That's as tough a four guys you'll have to navigate through at any point in the season. I won't say he did it with ease, but he did it with a lot of poise and confidence. He's tremendous in any situation."

HILL SCARE

Rich Hill started and went six innings for the Dodgers, leaving with a 3-2 lead and one very sore neck.

Attempting to bunt in the bottom of the fourth, he took a fastball from Richard at the base of the throat. He fell to the ground in pain but remained in the game and pitched two more innings. After the game went to a hospital for precautionary X-rays. The Dodgers said he checked out fine.

"I thought it was bad," Bellinger said. "I saw him grab his throat so I didn't know what to expect but I'm glad he is all right."

MARGOT RISING

Green thought earlier in the season the rookie outfielder might have 20-home run power.

"I didn't expect him to start pushing towards that his rookie season," Green said.

He has eight home runs in his last 14 games.

TRAINER'S ROOM

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Padres: RHP Kirby Yates has left the team for at least three days to attend to a family medical situation. He is on medical leave. The Padres called up right-hander Valdez from Triple-A El Paso to take Yates' roster spot.

Dodgers: LHP Clayton Kershaw(lower back strain) threw a strong bullpen session. Roberts said he would throw another in a few days before making a rehab appearance. ... 1B Adrian Gonzalez and OF Andre Ethier, both dealing with herniated disks, are scheduled to make rehab starts Saturday for Rancho Cucamonga. Gonzalez has already made five rehab starts and could return soon, although Ethier is not expected back until rosters expand Sept. 1.

UP NEXT

Padres: RHP Jhoulys Chacin (11-8, 4.15 ERA) hopes to continue his turnaround Saturday. In his last 11 starts he is 7-3 with a 2.75 ERA. Lifetime against the Dodgers he is 10-8 with a 4.20 ERA in 23 games.

Dodgers: LHP Hyun-Jin Ryu (4-6, 3.53) is coming off the best two starts of the season. He did not allow a run in seven-inning starts against San Francisco and New York, allowing the Mets only one hit. He is 4-1 with a 2.19 ERA in six career starts against the Padres.

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Padres On Deck: Naylor, Guerra, Wingenter Lead AA-Missions to Win Lawson throws five scoreless innings for Single-A Fort Wayne

By Bill Center First baseman Josh Naylor was 3-for-5 with two doubles, three RBIs and a run scored Thursday night to lead Double-A San Antonio to a 8–5 victory in a series matching the two best teams in the Texas League.

The 20-year-old Naylor is hitting .286 with the Missions since being promoted from Advanced Single-A Lake Elsinore. Shortstop Javier Guerra(.222), another top-30 Padres’ prospect was 2- for-4 with a walk and a run scored as San Antonio improved to 68–48 overall and 27–19 in the second half.

Six-foot-eight, right-handed closer Trey Wingenter struck out two in a perfect inning to lower his earned run average to 1.96 while picking up his Texas League-leading 16th save.

Elsewhere in the Padres system:

— Right-hander Reggie Lawson, 20, the 71st overall pick in the 2016 draft, allowed three hits and no walks with seven strikeouts over five scoreless innings for Single-A Fort Wayne, lowering his ERA to 5.46.

— Right-hander Emmanuel Ramirez (1.64 ERA) allowed a run on two hits and two walks with eight strikeouts for Lake Elsinore.

— Ryan Schimpf hit his 16th homer for Triple-A El Paso.

There was considerable movement in the Padres system Thursday.

Left-handed starter was placed on the temporary inactive list at San Antonio and left-handed reliever Brad Wieck was placed on the Missions’ seven-day disabled list. Left- handed reliever Jose Castillo was promoted from Lake Elsinore to San Antonio and right- handed reliever Jason Adam was activated from San Antonio’s disabled list.

Right-handed reliever Jake Smith was activated from the disabled list at Lake Elsinore.

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First baseman Brad Zunica was placed on the seven-day disabled list at Fort Wayne (foot injury) and first baseman Luis Anguizola was transferred from short-season Single-A Tri-City to Fort Wayne.

Around the Farm:

TRIPLE-A EL PASO (57–61) — FRESNO 8, Chihuahuas 4: C Rocky Gale (.291) was 3-for-4 with a double, a RBI and a run scored. 1B Chase d’Arnaud(.310) was 2-for-3 with a walk and a run scored. DH Schimpf (.219) had a homer in four at-bats. 3B Christian Villaneuva (.303) had a double in three at-bats with a walk and a run scored. SS Diego Goris (.268) had a two-run double in four at-bats. RF Rafael Ortega (.308) had a double in four at-bats. Starting RHP Chris Huffman (0–1, 8.10 ERA) allowed four runs on 10 hits and two walks with five strikeouts in five innings to take the loss. RHP Jose Valdez (5.45) allowed a hit and a walk in a scoreless inning. RHP Zach Lee(7.34) allowed four runs on five hits with a strikeout in an inning. RHP Christian Bethancourt (9.18) pitched a perfect inning.

DOUBLE-A SAN ANTONIO (27–19, 68–48) — MISSIONS 8, Springfield 5: C Webster Rivas (.344) backed Naylor and Guerra, going 2-for-5 with a double, a RBI and a run scored. 3B Ty France (.282) was 2-for-5 with a double and a RBI. PH Nick Torres (.262) was 1-for-1 with a RBI and a run scored. 2B Luis Urias (.317) was 1-for-4 with a walk, a RBI and two runs scored. RF Franmil Reyes (.264) and CF Auston Bousfield (.243) were each 1-for-3 with a walk and a run scored. Starting RHP Jacob Nix (4.91 ERA) allowed four runs on six hits and two walks with six strikeouts in six innings. Castillo issued a walk with a strikeout in an otherwise perfect inning in his debut with the Missions. RHP Cesar Vargas (2–3, 2.98) allowed a run on a hit with a strikeout in an inning to get credit for the win just ahead of Wingenter.

ADVANCED SINGLE-A LAKE ELSINORE (20–27, 55–62) — INLAND EMPIRE 2, STORM 1: RHP Zech Lemond (5.00 ERA) followed Ramirez and allowed a hit in a scoreless inning. RHP David Bednar (0–2, 4.00) allowed a run on a hit and a walk with a strikeout in an inning to suffer the loss. RF Edwin Moreno (.283) had a double in three at-bats with a walk. SS Ruddy Giron(.231) was 1-for-3 with a walk. 3B Kyle Overstreet (.326) was 1-for-4 with a run scored. 1B Fernando Perez (.280) was 1-for-4. LF River Stevens (.429) was 0-for-2 with two walks.

SINGLE-A FORT WAYNE (30–16, 56–60) — Bowling Green 5, TIN CAPS 2: CF Buddy Reed (.226) was 1-for-3 with a solo homer and a walk. LF Tyler Selesky (.226) had a solo homer in four at-bats. 3B Hudson Potts (.231) was 3-for-4 with a double. 1B G.K. Young (.234) was 1-for-3 with a walk. 2B Reinaldo Ilarraza (.225), DH Jorge Oña (.282) and RF Jack Suwinski (.215) were all 1-for-4. RHP Dalton Erb (0.00 ERA) followed Lawson and allowed a hit with a strikeout in a scoreless inning. RHP Jim McDade (2–3, 4.08) allowed five runs (two earned) on five hits with two strikeouts in 1 2/3 innings. RHP Hansel Rodriguez (4.18) retired the only hitter he faced. RHP Jordan Guerrero (2.70) allowed a hit with a strikeout in an inning.

SHORT-SEASON SINGLE-A TRI CITY (9–7, 28–25) — VANCOUVER 11, Tri-City 0: SS Luis Almanzar (.237) was 2-for-3. 3B Kelvin Melean (.244) was 1-for-4. Starting RHP Will Stillman (1–2, 5.40 ERA) gave up eight runs on five hits, two walks and two hit batters with a 22 strikeout in 1 1/3 innings to take the loss. RHP Elliot Ashbeck (6.75) gave up two runs on four hits with two strikeouts in 1 2/3 innings. RHP Chasen Ford (6.48) issued a walk in two otherwise perfect innings. RHP Wilmer Torres (4.50) allowed a run on three hits in an inning. RHP Blake Rogers (10.80) pitched a perfect inning. RHP Trevor Megill (0.82) allowed a hit and a walk with two strikeouts in a scoreless inning.

ARIZONA ROOKIE LEAGUE PADRES-1 (4–5, 19–18) — Royals 3, PADRES-1 2: LF Angel Santos (.354) was 1-for-3 with a two-run homer. DH Luis Campusano-Bracero (.259) was 2- for-4 with a double and a run scored. RF Dayon Olmo (.264) was 1-for-3. SS Yordi Barley (.258) was 1-for-4. Starting RHP Michell Miliano (0–2, 6.43 ERA) allowed three runs (two earned) on three hits and two walks with three strikeouts in three innings. RHP Angel Acevedo (9.82) allowed a hit in a scoreless inning. LHP Jose Cabrera (8.85) allowed three hits with a strikeout in two scoreless innings. RHP Korey Anderson (2.89) allowed two hits with four strikeouts in three scoreless innings.

ARIZONA ROOKIE LEAGUE PADRES-2 (5–4, 20–16) — The Padres-2 were off Thursday.

DOMINICAN SUMMER LEAGUE PADRES (19–36) — WHITE SOX 7, Padres 3: C-3B Blinger Perez (.270) was 2-for-4 with a double and a RBI. RF Yordi Francisco (.278) was 2-for-4. SS Bryan Torres (.240) was 0-for-3 with two RBIs, a and a run scored. LF-1B Jaffe Garcia (.215) was 1-for-2 with a double, two walks and two runs scored. SS-2B Luis Guzman (.229) had a double in three at-bats with a walk. Starting RHP Martin Carrasco(1–3, 2.92 ERA) allowed five runs (four earned) on seven hits with a strikeout in four innings to take the loss.

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Braves vs. White Sox is an epic battle for MLB's best farm system

Jeff Passan

Yahoo! Sports

1. Chicago White Sox

2. Atlanta Braves

3. San Diego Padres

One scout went so far as to suggest the Padres’ system is better than the Braves’ right now, and an assistant GM who worried about the Braves pitchers’ vulnerability had the Padres ahead of them as well. They are the favorite to be No. 1 at this time next year, mainly because so much of their talent is so young.

The name to remember: Fernando Tatis Jr. While he languishes outside of MLB’s top 50, Law ranks him No. 15, and that dovetails more with how scouts regard him. More than one said “the next Manny Machado.” Though a shortstop now, Tatis could move to third, where his huge power still would play. The rare 18-year-old to play full-season ball, Tatis is hitting .267/.371/.493 with 19 home runs. He offsets his strikeouts with a keen eye, which makes his line that much more eye-popping. Those are big numbers for a college kid in the Midwest League. For one equivalent to a recent high school graduate, it’s superstar stuff.

Much of the Padres’ depth came from a Latin American spending spree of more than $60 million last season. It netted them huge right-hander Michel Baez, polished-beyond-his-years 18-year-old lefty Adrian Morejon and Jorge Ona, a middle linebacker who happens to play baseball. All three are from Cuba, and they represent GM A.J. Preller’s devotion to – and knowledge of – the Latin American scene. He had a mandate to rebuild the Padres. He’s doing so with style.

Mackenzie Gore may be the best pitcher in this year’s draft, and the Padres have him. was a steal in 2015 after Tommy John surgery. Luis Urias is a bat-to-ball freak. Even guys like pitcher Logan Allen (another piece in the Craig Kimbrel deal) and catcher Austin Allen are favorites of scouts. With no immediate graduations on the horizon, the Padres are primed to be the next kings, and come 2020 or so, they’ve got a chance to be very, very good.

Part of the article: https://sports.yahoo.com/braves-vs-white-sox-epic-battle-mlbs-best-farm-system- 145401186.html

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