Lauer sharp since returning from DL

Bill Center, longtime sportswriter for U-T San Diego, is an employee of the Padres.
Rookie left-hander Eric Lauer allowed two runs on three hits and a walk in five-plus innings Saturday night against the Rangers at Petco Park.
In three starts since returning from the disabled list (forearm strain) Aug. 30, Lauer has allowed three runs on five hits and six walks with 14 strikeouts in 14 innings -- good for a 1.29 ERA and 0.79 WHIP.
Lauer, 23, who was the 25th overall selection in the 2016 Draft, has lowered his ERA from 5.30 to 4.74 in those starts.

The home run Lauer gave up to Joey Gallo on Saturday was the first he's given up since his return. 
He has worked at least five innings in 14 of his 21 starts this season. He is 5-2 with a 2.41 ERA and a .254 opponents' batting average when going at least five innings in a start.
Notes
• First baseman Eric Hosmer is 8-for-31 (.258) while hitting safely in six of his last eight games with four home runs and nine RBIs. He now has 17 homers on the season and has regained the Padres' RBI lead from Freddy Galvis with 65 driven in. Hosmer has an .827 OPS over the 12 games he has appeared in during September.
• Speaking of Galvis, he was 2-for-3 with a walk in his Padres debut at second base Saturday night. He had been hitless in his last 13 at-bats at shortstop and was in a 3-for-34 drought with 16 strikeouts. It was Galvis' first appearance at second base since the 2015 season.
• Outfielder Franmil Reyes was 1-for-4 with a walk and a run scored Saturday to extend his hitting streak to seven straight games (9-for-25). Reyes has hit safely in 20 of his last 22 games, going 25-for-67 (.373) with two doubles and six home runs.
• Left-hander Matt Strahm allowed a hit with two strikeouts in two scoreless innings Saturday night. Since the start of August, Strahm has allowed two runs on 12 hits and three walks with 24 strikeouts in 17 innings over 14 appearances for a 1.06 ERA -- lowering his season ERA from 2.50 to 2.06.
• Catcher Austin Hedges was 2-for-4 Saturday night and has hit safely in 10 of his last 11 games, going 13-for-42 (.310) with three doubles, two triples and two home runs for eight RBIs and five runs scored.
• Shortstop Javy Guerra got his first Major League hit Saturday night on a scoring change. Originally, Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus had been charged with an error after failing to field Guerra's grounder while charging onto the infield grass.