Monarch School benefits from Padres event

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

Wives and significant others of Padres players and coaches raised more than $48,000 for The Monarch School during a silent auction fundraiser Saturday.

It was a "hands on" project.

The wives put together baskets filled with the favorite items of Padres players. The baskets, valued at approximately $300 each, included snacks, movies, wine and books, plus gift cards to the players' favorite stores and restaurants as well as game-used equipment and memorabilia.

If you wanted to get a little closer to Ian Kennedy, bid for the basketball prepared by his wife Allison. If you wanted to know James Shields' favorite movie, bid for the basket prepared by Rayne Shields.

Among the players represented in auction in addition to Kennedy and Shields were Justin Upton, Melvin Upton Jr., Derek Norris, Tyson Ross, Craig Kimbrel, Yonder Alonso, Clint Barmes, Brandon Morrow, Brandon Maurer, Brett Wallace and Travis Jankowski, plus hitting coach Mark Kotsay, president and CEO Mike Dee and Padres Hall of fame pitchers Randy Jones and Trevor Hoffman.

The funds raised from the auction will go toward building a sun-shade structure for the playground at The Monarch School. The school for disadvantaged and homeless children in San Diego has long been a favorite beneficiary of Padres charitable programs and individual players.

From the scorecard

• Matt Kemp doubled in his last at-bat Sunday to extend his on-base streak to a career-best 26 games. His streak is the longest current streak in the National League and the third-longest active streak in the Major Leagues. During the on-base streak, Kemp has hit safely in 24 of the 26 games, going 34-for-105 (.324) with five doubles, seven homers and 30 RBIs. He has hitting streaks of 15, five and four games during the on-base streak.

• Jedd Gyorko hit his 13th homer of the season Sunday for the Padres' lone run. Gyorko's homer was also his third in the four-game series and matched the Padres' record for the most homers in a series against the Dodgers. Gyorko has hit safely in eight of his last nine games (11-for-38 with eight RBIs) and has five homers in his last 13 games.

• Andrew Cashner suffered his 14th loss of the season Sunday despite holding the Dodgers to two runs on five hits and four walks -- one shy of his career high -- over six innings. Cashner is 1-2 over his last four starts despite a 3.57 ERA.

• Wil Myers singled in the sixth Sunday for his first hit since he returned from the disabled list Friday. It was his first hit since June 13 and only his third hit since he first went on the disabled list with wrist issues on May 11.

• Rocky Gale made his Major League debut Sunday, grounding out as a pinch-hitter. Gale was promoted from Triple-A El Paso earlier in the week.