Bill Center, longtime sportswriter for U-T San Diego, is an employee of the Padres.

Manuel Margot’s game-winning homer Thursday night extended his hitting streak to six straight games.

He is 8-for-18 during the streak with three RBIs and two runs scored. The entire streak has come during the Padres’ road trip and has raised his batting average from .222 to .333.

His home run off Archie Bradley snapped a 6-6 tie. It was his first home run since last Sept. 30, which also came against the Diamondbacks.

NOTEBOOK:

-- RHP Pedro Avila got off to a rough start in his Major League debut Thursday night, giving up a run in the first and getting the third out with the bases loaded. But the third rookie pitcher to make his Major League debut with the Padres didn’t allow a hit after rival pitcher Zack Godley singled with one out in the second inning.

-- Thursday marked the first time in Padres’ history that three pitchers made their Major League debuts in the span of the season’s first 14 games. Each of the last four Padres starters making their Major League debuts – Jacob Nix, Nick Margevicius, Chris Paddack and Avila – allowed one or fewer runs while working at least five innings.

-- RF Franmil Reyes is showing signs of breaking out of his early-season drought. He has homers in two of his last four games, during which he is 3-for-8 (after starting the season 1-for-22). He has reached base nine times in his last seven games with a .474 on-base percentage.

-- SS Fernando Tatis Jr. is 6-for-20 with two home runs, five RBIs and four runs scored in his past six games. He has a .417 on-base percentage during the run with a .600 slugging percentage for a 1.017 OPS.

-- The Padres are alone atop the National League West Friday morning. It marks the first time that the Padres held sole possession of first place in the division after 14 games since 1998.