Two starts into career, Rea carving out spot in Padres record book

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

Right-hander Colin Rea Monday night became only the seventh starting pitcher in Padres history to launch his career with a 2-0 record as a Padre.

Before Rea, the last to do it was Odrisamer Despaigne last season.

The other names on that list are Dave Freisleben (1974), Joey Hamilton (1994), Brian Tollberg (2000), Oliver Perez (2002) and Mike Thompson (2006).

Rea was also the first Padres pitcher since Ed Wojna in 1985 to reach base safely in each of hids first two career games. Four Padres pitchers have done it - Freisleben and Bob Shirley in 1977 in addition to Rea and Wojna.

In his first two starts since being promoted from Triple-A El Paso, Rea, 25, has allowed five runs on 12 hits and two walks with eight strikeouts in 10 2/3 innings.

FROM THE SCORECARD:

-- The Padres are 29-4 this season in the 33 games when right-handed relievers Joaquin Benoit and Craig Kimbrel work in tandem in the eighth-and ninth innings. The Padres won again Monday night with Benoit pitching the eighth and Kimbrel the ninth. Twenty-four of Kimbrel's 34 saves have come when following Benoit. In tandem, the pair have allowed
13 runs on 32 hits and 19 walks with 72 strikeouts in 66 innings. Between them, they have five wins and three blown saves when working in tandem.

-- Right fielder Matt Kemp was 2-for-4 with his 14th homer Monday night to stretch his hitting streak to 10 straight games. He is 15-for-39 (.385) during the streak, including the first cycle in Padres history. He has three home runs with 10 RBIs and nine runs scored during the streak. Kemp is tied for the second-longest hitting streak of the Padres
season to Yangervis Solarte's 11-game run from July 24 to Aug. 5.

-- Catcher Derek Norris has the second-longest active hitting streak among the Padres, going 8-for-22 during a six-game run with three doubles and his 13th homer for two RBIs and four runs scored. Norris also threw out his Major League-leading 32nd runner in the first inning Monday night. Norris also got his 19 infield hit Monday, the most by a
Padres catcher since the statistic started being tracked in 1987. The Padres are 25-7 in games in which Norris has an RBI.

-- Outfielder Will Venable had a two-run single Monday and is hitting .352 (19-for-54) with runners in scoring position this season. He is hitting .316 (18-for-57) over his last 16 games with eight RBIs.