Urias hits stride after slow start to season

After a slow -- make that very slow -- start, middle infielder Luis Urías has caught fire with his bat.

Urias, who has been playing shortstop since fellow rookie Fernando Tatis Jr. was lost for the remainder of the season with a lower back issue, was 2-for-4 Sunday with a two-run homer that helped the Padres secure a 3-2 win in Philadelphia.

Since starting the season 3-for-48 (.063) with one double, Urias, who turned 22 June 3, is hitting 16-for-50 (.320) with three doubles, two home runs and 13 RBIs. His batting average has jumped 131 points to .194, and during the run, Urias has a .424 on-base percentage and a .500 slugging percentage for a .924 OPS.

Around the Horn

Starting pitcher Joey Lucchesi snapped a three-decision personal losing streak Sunday afternoon. Although he didn’t reach the seventh inning, Lucchesi had one of his strongest outings of the season. He allowed two runs on three hits and two walks while striking out four in six innings. He also threw a career-high 109 pitches. Before Sunday, the Padres had lost six straight games started by Lucchesi.

First baseman Eric Hosmer had a double in four at-bats Sunday to extend his hitting streak to seven games. Hosmer is 13-for-29 during the streak with four doubles, a homer, a walk, four RBIs and five runs scored during the streak, slashing .448/.467/.690.

Catcher Austin Hedges had a career-best four hits Sunday on his 27th birthday to raise his batting average from .183 to .197 in one game. Hedges also hit the game-winning home run in the seventh inning. Hedges joined Yangervis Solarte, Jedd Gyorko and Gene Richards as the fourth Padre to have a four-hit game on his birthday. He is the first Padres catcher with a four-hit game since Derek Norris on July 30, 2015.

Reliever Andres Munoz made back-to-back appearances as the set-up man to closer Kirby Yates both Saturday and Sunday in Philadelphia. With his fastball ball regularly hitting triple digits, Munoz struck out two in two perfect innings to lower his earned run average to 1.76.

Speaking of Yates, the closer recorded saves in back-to-back games Saturday and Sunday for the first time since July 6-7 at Dodger Stadium. With 35 saves, Yates is tied with Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman for the Major League lead in saves. Sunday’s save was only Yates’ fifth in seven opportunities since the All-Star break.