Orlando "De La Noche" Gets Walk-Off Hit

I've always thought the best nickname you can give a guy is "de la Noche." In Spanish it means, literally, "of the night." If you append "de la Noche" to someone's name it connotes daring, adventure, fearlessness, guts, a wee bit of recklessness, and a cocksure attitude that, to use a tired but apt phrase, gets things done.

After Orlando Hudson's performance last night I'm now going to call him Orlando de la Noche. In the 8th, Orlando reached on a fielder's choice, stole a bag, and scored the tying run on a Jorge Cantu groundout. Then, in the bottom of the ninth with two outs, he singled in the winning run to complete the Padres 3-2 comeback victory.

I'd say those are acts worthy of the "de la Noche" name.

Life Lesson: If You Don't Win When You Have A Chance To Win, You Will Lose

Last night the Padres had many many chances to beat the Reds. But an inability to get big hits with the bases loaded in the 9th and 10th innings, a crucial throwing error by Clayton Richard that led to a Reds run, and two outstanding Reds defensive plays (one by Scott Rolen and one by Brandon Phillips that, incidentally, was one of the best plays I've ever seen by a second baseman), conspired to defeat the Padres in a game they really should have won.

The Padres have now lost 5 of their last 6 and are in danger of being swept away by the Reds later this afternoon.

It's up to Timothy James Stauffer to right the ship. I for one think he can do it.

Ramon Hernandez And His Right Arm Beat The Padres

I remember when I liked Ramon Hernandez. I remember when he was the best-hitting catcher the Padres had since Benny Santiago. I remember when he hit five clutch bombs in the stretch playoff run of September 2005, including a walk-off 12th inning jack against the Nattys and a go-ahead grand slam against Los Gigantes de San Francisco. I remember when Sandy Alderson criticized his toughness behind the plate and my first thought was, "Geez, Sandy, stop being a dick. Ramon can rake. No one else on the team can hit other than Giles so stop annoying Ramon and just let him swing the bat."

But all that seems like eons ago now. Last night Ramon threw out three Padres baserunners to help preserve a taut 3-2 Reds victory over the Padres. On a night when ESPN televised a poorly played contest between the last place Rays and the last place Red Sox, the Padres and Reds - two of the top teams in the NL a year ago and both off to good starts this season - played the day's best game out in the Diago.

Tonight should be more of the same with the Deacon Clay Richard taking the hill for the Drinos. Let's hope Ramon's arm is sore.

"Playoff Atmosphere" In The Diego ... And I'm Not There

I couldn't be more disappointed that I'm not out in the Diego this weekend for the start of the Padres' critical 7-game homestand. Coupled with the Oktoberfest beer promotion, the playoff implications of tonight's game should have legions of Padres fans rocking Petco.

How choice will that be? Can't believe I'm missing it.

But there is good news. I was just able to talk my wife out of going to see The Town tonight in lieu of staying home and watching the Padres-Reds game on my computer.

Yep. Just another wild Friday night in Manhattan.

Go Padres.

Three Straight Sweeps?

Clayton leads the charge today as the Padres go for their ninth straight victory.

The Padres have dominated the Reds the past two days, neither of which game I was able to watch. But I'll be tuning in today to watch Clayton deal.

Let's get this dun.

Good Pitching Cures Hangovers

Jake,

Stellar game today at home against Cincy. You pitched a complete game 4-hitter with 9 Ks, the only real blemish a 6th inning bomb you relinquished to somebody on the Reds named Dickerson. That kid just got lucky. You were dominant today. I don't recall your pitches looking so unhittable, at least not this season. I see your ERA dropping into the 2s before long with stuff like that.

I feel bad though because I didn't watch every pitch. I was on the sofa in my living room napping off a margarita/red wine hangover (that's a dangerous mix, my friend) and would go in-and-out of sleep while the game played on the television. It seemed like every time I woke up one of your sliders was breaking off at a ridiculously late moment as it passed over the plate, or one of your fastballs was painting a corner of the plate for a sweet called strike. Absolutely nasty.

Needless to say it was one of the best naps I've ever had.

You're probably pumped today from your performance, but I bet you're also stoked based on what the boys in the bullpen did in last night's dramatic 16-inning 6-5 win over the Redlegs. I missed the game because I chose to eat salami but from what I see in the box score, the bullpen was perfect. Just look at these numbers:

Joe Thatcher - .1 IP, 1 K
Greg Burke (MLB debut, sorry I missed it, Greg) - 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 K
Cla Meredith - 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R
Heath Bell - 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 K
Edward Mujica - 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 K
Luke Gregerson - 3 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 3 Ks
Luis Perdomo - 3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 K

I'm no mathemetician, Jake, but that looks to me like 10.1 innings of relief pitching, with 0 runs allowed and 8 Ks. I'm no chef either but that looks like a recipe for victory.

And all that relief pitching set up Nick Hundley's 2-out, walk-off bomb in the bottom of the 16th.

What a weekend of Padre baseball.

Best,
Bevormo