Rare errors prove value of Galvis' defense

Bill Center, longtime sportswriter for U-T San Diego, is an employee of the Padres.
Freddy Galvis made an error Tuesday night.
     
He missed second base with his foot on a force play.
     
Which shows you just how valuable the 28-year-old shortstop is to the Padres.
     
That was Galvis' second error of the season. The first was committed back on April 13. In between, Galvis has been everything the Padres could want in a shortstop.
     
Galvis has started every one of the Padres' 76 games this season. His 683 2/3 innings played are the most in the Major Leagues. Wednesday afternoon marked only the third time this season that Galvis has come out of a game early.
     
And for all the time he's played, he's made two errors. And he leads the Padres in defensive runs saved with eight.
     
Plus, he's raised his batting average from .212 to .244, although his four-game hitting streak - that began with the first five-hit game of his career - ended Wednesday. In 11 games since June 9, Galvis has gone 13-for-41 (.317) with four doubles, two homers, nine RBIs and three runs scored.
     
NOTEBOOK:
     
--3B Christian Villanueva, who turned 27 Tuesday, hit his first home run in June Wednesday after finishing May with 15. His two-hit game Wednesday was also his first multi-hit game for the month. Villanueva is hitting .119 in June (5-for-42) with 14 strikeouts and two RBIs. He is still tied for second in the National League in home runs.
     
--LHP Eric Lauer has a 2.49 earned run average over his last four starts. He has allowed seven runs (six earned) on 22 hits and 11 walks with 19 strikeouts in 21 2/3 innings. He has also worked his way out of several jams. He has lowered his earned run average in each of the four starts, lowering it to 5.47.
     
--C A.J. Ellis is 7-for-17 (.412) in a six-game hitting streak with a double and two RBIs. He has reached base safely via hit or walk in 21 of his last 22 games with a .443 on-base percentage. He is hitting .308 (24-for-78) in 25 games as a starter this season.
     
--RF Franmil Reyes is hitting .271 (13-for-48) in June with three doubles and two homers. His only three doubles of the season have come in his last five starts.