Bill Center, longtime sportswriter for U-T San Diego, is an employee of the Padres.
The more one looks at the Padres' last 10 games, the more one is inclined to say, "Huh?"
How else could one describe the wild 5-5 ride that includes four wins in five starts against the playoff-bound D-backs, with the loss coming in a one-run decision in Arizona?
After all, the five losses in the middle of the run includes two 16-0 routs (at Minnesota and Colorado) in the span of four games.
The Padres have been outscored 64-36 over the past 10 games -- a run that started with an eight-game road trip. But they are still 5-5 . . . which is all that really counts.
In addition to winning four of the last five games they've played against the D-backs, the Padres are 3-1 over the last four games they've played against the Dodgers. The Padres have already clinched a third series win against Arizona this season going into Wednesday night's series finale at 6:10 p.m. at Petco Park.
With 11 games to go in the 2017 season, the Padres on Tuesday equaled their 2016 total of 68 wins. Since starting the season 15-30, the Padres have gone 53-53.
NOTE WORTHY
• Travis Wood allowed two runs Tuesday -- on A.J. Pollock's two solo homers -- on three hits and two walks over six innings. In his two previous starts, Wood gave up 16 runs (15 earned) on 16 hits and two walks with three strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings. Wood got 10 ground-ball outs with six coming on double plays turned by the Padres infield.
"I thought there was a crispness to his stuff that wasn't there his last couple starts," said Padres manager Andy Green. "He threw a split-finger fastball that he doesn't normally throw."
• William Myers was 2-for-4 with a double, a RBI and a run scored Tuesday night. He is 5-for-16 over his last six games with three doubles, a home run, three walks, two RBIs and three runs scored. Myers is hitting .455 (10-for-22) in a six-game hitting streak against the D-backs. Myers has a .325 (64-for-197) batting average against Arizona, his second-best mark against any team.
• Jose Pirela has gone from day-to-day to problematical for the remainder of the season due to the hand injury he suffered Aug. 10 in Arizona while sliding headfirst into third. Pirela has made only two pinch-running appearances since the injury and missed a seventh straight start Tuesday night. In addition to jamming the little finger on his right hand, Pirela had stitches in the webbing between his little finger and second finger. Green said Pirela could be shut down for the rest of the season if the situation doesn't soon improve. Pirela hit in the indoor cages on Tuesday.
• Travis Jankowski was 0-for-4 with two strikeouts Tuesday in his first start since April 22. That was the night he fractured a bone in his right foot. After a lengthy stint on the disabled list, Jankowski finished the Pacific Coast League season with Triple-A El Paso.
• Carlos Asuaje has hit in six straight starts, going 8-for-26.