Bill Center, longtime sportswriter for U-T San Diego, is an employee of the Padres.
Hunter Renfroe is on a roll.
The outfielder hit two homers during the four-game series with Arizona that ended Sunday at Petco Park. He was 5-for-14 (.357) in the series with a double, the two homers, three walks, four RBIs and three runs scored with a sacrifice fly and the hit-by-pitch that drove him out of Sunday's finale. He struck out only one time against the D-backs.
Of course, Renfroe has always driven the ball against the D-backs. His nine career homers, 18 hits and 19 RBIs against Arizona are his highest totals against an individual team and he owns a career .589 slugging percentage against Arizona.
But he's hitting against everyone since Aug. 1, going 20-for-66 with four doubles, six homers, 17 RBIs, eight runs scored and six walks against nine strikeouts.
In addition to a .303 batting average, that's a .361 on-base percentage and a .636 slugging percentage for a .997 OPS for 17 games. His defensive game has also picked up.
Renfroe was hitting .200 when he went on the disabled list on April 21. Since returning on May 28, Renfroe has raised his batting average to .249.
NOTEBOOK
• Several players at the bottom half of the Padres' order are struggling. Austin Hedges is 1-for-19 with an RBI, a walk and eight strikeouts since Aug. 12. Shortstop Freddy Galvis is 2-for-17 with two walks and two RBIs over his last five games. Center fielder Manuel Margot is 3-for-30 with a homer, three RBIs and six strikeouts with no walks since Aug. 9. And right fielder Franmil Reyes is 0-for-25 with no walks since Aug. 9.
• Eric Hosmer has gotten hotter recently. He is 11-for-30 (.367) with three doubles, two homers, six RBIs and seven runs scored during an eight-game hitting streak that started on Aug. 12. Before he homered on Aug. 13, Hosmer had hit only one home run since June 12. Before the three doubles, Hosmer had only four doubles since June 14.
• Kirby Yates lost back-to-back games in his last two appearances on solo homers Aug. 15 (Rene Rivera of the Angels) and A.J. Pollock (Arizona). Yates has made 10 appearances since Brad Hand was traded on July and is 1-2 with two saves over 10 2/3 innings, allowing four runs on 12 hits and two walks with 18 strikeouts for a 3.37 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP.
• Former Padres are hitting .337 against the Padres this season (94-for-279) with 15 homers and 61 RBIs. The hits, homers, RBIs and batting average are all highs for former players of any team against their former team.