Gyorko proving to be more than just a masher

SAN DIEGO -- It's not just Jedd Gyorko's bat that has impressed manager Bud Black, though there's a lot to like, especially after Gyorko hit an eighth-inning home run Saturday to give the Padres a 2-1 victory over the Rockies.

"He squared that ball up," Black said.

But Black said that there's more to Gyorko, who went into Sunday's game with the most home runs (17) among National League rookies.

Take his deke in the ninth inning when he fooled Rockies baserunner Michael Cuddyer with his body language on a fly ball to center field that became a game-ending 8-3 putout.

"Those were two plays [home run and the deke] that project Jedd as a very instinctual and talented player," Black said. "There's a lot of in-game awareness."

Gyorko has scuffled some at the plate in the second half of the season -- he went into Sunday hitting .244 -- but has proven to be better than expected defensively at second base, where he has committed just four errors in 821 innings and 419 total chances.