Bill Center, longtime sportswriter for U-T San Diego, is an employee of the Padres. career.
First baseman Wil Myers is having one of the greatest seasons ever by a Padre at Petco Park.
Myers, who hit a three-run homer in Friday night's 7-2 win over the Giants at Petco Park, is hitting .318 at home this season (91-for-286) with 20 doubles, three triples, 18 home runs, 56 RBIs and 58 runs scored.
He has already set single-season records for homers (18), hits (91) and RBIs (56) at Petco Park. The old marks were held by: homers - 15 (Will Venable in 2013 and tied by Justin Upton last season); hits - 88
set by Matt Kemp last season, and RBIs - 51 by Chase Headley in 2012. Overall, Myers has 28 homers to go with 28 doubles and 26 steals as the first Padre to ever top 25 in those three categories.
Myers is also finishing the season strong after slumping coming out of the All-Star Game. He has hit safely in 11 of his last 12 games, going 11-for-36 (.306) with three doubles and four homers with 11 RBIs and seven runs scored.
On the flip side, Myers is hitting only .203 on the road this season with eight doubles, 10 home runs and 35 RBIs.
NOTES FROM THE SCOREBOOK:
-- Myers' homer Friday night was also the Padres' 76th this season in their downtown home, another single-season record for the 13-year-old Petco Park. The Padres have hit 169 homers. The franchise record for homers in a season is 172 by the second-year team of 1970. The 2007 team hit 171.
-- Second baseman Carlos Asuaje had his first two Major League hits Friday night in his second Major League start. Both were doubles. "I've been imagining my first Major League hit," said Asuaje. "I didn't imagine my first two both being doubles."
-- Right-hander Edwin Jackson improved to 5-5 with a 5.75 earned run average in 12 starts with the Padres Friday night as he held San Francisco to two runs on four hits over six innings. He is 2-0 with a 2.70 ERA in two starts (13 1/3 innings) against the Giants as a Padre. Jackson has a 1.83 ERA in games that he has won this season with a 13.50 ERA in games that he has lost - a continuation of his career-long, hot-cold record.
-- Left-hander Christian Friedrich will be making a 23rd start next week for the Padres. There had been thoughts of skipping Friedrich for his last start. But he was given the green light after holding the Giants to two runs on three hits Thursday night.
-- Outfielder Jon Jay was 2-for-4 Friday and is hitting .305 (58-for-190) at Petco Park this season. He is a career .298 hitter at Petco Park (71-for-238).
-- Shortstop Luis Sardiñas is hitless in 19 straight at-bats as his average with the Padres has dropped from .338 to .258.