SAN DIEGO -- Mired in a major slump entering Thursday's game against the Padres, Brewers shortstop Orlando Arcia broke out in a big way.
Arcia was 6-for-44 (.136) in the month of May before collecting two hits and twice setting the table for Eric Sogard, who collected four hits of his own, as the Brewers toppled the Padres, 4-2, in the series finale at Petco Park. The win was Milwaukee's third in a row and ninth in 11 games, leading to a spot in first place in the National League Central standings.
"You've always got to be very happy," Arcia said through a translator. "My main goal is just to help my team win, whether it is playing offense or playing defense. Obviously, it has been more defense than not lately, but I was able to have some good at-bats and help my team on the offensive side as well."
Having gone hitless in the first three games of the series, which followed a 5-for-20 performance on the Brewers' most recent homestand, Arcia helped spark a pair of rallies.
"I just had the mentality that I needed to get on and needed to find ways to get on," Arcia said. "I was able to work good counts and get some good hits today."
Arcia led off the fifth with a single against Jarred Cosart and took second base on a passed ball. After starting pitcher Zach Davies advanced Arcia to third with a sacrifice bunt, Sogard brought Arcia home with a single to right that evened the score at 1.

In the seventh, Arcia followed a single by Keon Broxton with a bunt single of his own, and he later came around to score on a double by Sogard that gave Milwaukee the lead for good.
"Good teams get contributions from a lot of different guys, and that's kind of the situation we're in right now," Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. "Arcia had a nice game today. His defense continues to be really special. It's contributions from a lot of different guys."