After stint in Minors, Gyorko's found his swing

MILWAUKEE -- When the Padres demoted second baseman Jedd Gyorko to Triple-A El Paso on June 10, they did so with explicit orders to use a few mechanical fixes to get his swing back in order.

Gyorko appears to have found something that is working for him, as he had three hits, including a long home run in Monday's 13-5 win over the Brewers at Miller Park.

Even when he made an out Monday, it was a long fly ball to the warning track in left field in the eighth inning.

Entering Tuesday, Gyorko is hitting .273 with four home runs, 12 RBIs and an OPS of .748 since returning from El Paso on June 30.

Video: SD@MIL: Gyorko drives in J. Upton on an RBI single

"It's a constant work, but the at-bats have been better," Gyorko said.

It's been a long climb back, one that's still a work in progress.

"I think I've put myself in better hitter situations," he said. "I'm starting to lay off some of the higher fastballs and the low sliders. It's [bad habits] always going to creep back in. But overall, I'm pretty satisfied."

At the time he was sent to Triple-A, Gyorko was hitting .210 with a .593 OPS and was essentially only playing when the Padres faced left-handed starting pitchers.

Gyorko returned from El Paso when infielder Cory Spangenberg -- who had taken Gyorko's spot at second base -- landed on the disabled list on June 30 with a bone bruise in his left knee.

Gyorko has done a better job of cutting down on his swing and not chasing breaking balls on the outer half of the plate. He's generally tried to stay in the middle of the field.

"He's coming into his own. He realizes he belongs and he can play here," said interim manager Pat Murphy. "… The home run is part of his game but he's a good defender, too. He can give us great at-bats. He's really given us a lift."