Short hops

• Third baseman Chase Headley has had success at the plate this month, hitting .286 in the first 14 games of the month with five home runs. His highest average in any month this season? .271 in July.

"He's swinging at strikes, taking balls," said Padres manager Bud Black. "He's doing the things he's been good at, working at-bats, seeing pitches, getting on base. His bat speed has improved a little."

• Second baseman Jedd Gyorko enjoyed the team's recently completed four-game trip to Pittsburgh -- and not just because the Padres won three of the four games. Gyorko was reunited with scores of his friends and family who made the drive from nearby Morgantown, W.Va.

"It was good … I was able to see all of them at the field, so it's not like I had to entertain them," Gyorko said. "I made the rounds to tell everyone how appreciative I was they made it. There were some people there I hadn't seen since I was a little kid. It was like a family reunion."

Gyorko was 6-for-14 with a home run and four RBIs in the series.