Padres 7, Pirates 1: Middlebrooks leads run parade

The Padres snapped the Pirates' win streak on Friday, and tonight they made sure they didn't get another one started. Will Middlebrooks had the biggest hit of the night, a two-run homer, but every single Padres position player reached base safely at least once, and four of them had multi-hit games. Not to be outdone was Odrisamer Despaigne, who tossed a career-best eight innings while allowing just a single run on seven hits and a walk.

Yangervis Solarte got things started in the first, leading off with a single. Derek Norris and Matt Kemp drew walks to load the bases with one out. Jeff Locke struck out Middlebrooks, but couldn't do the same to Jedd Gyorko, who hit a two-run single to center. More runs came in the second, with Clint Barmes leading off with the first of his three singles. Despaigne put him in scoring position with a bunt, and he came around to score when Pedro Alvarez botched an inning-ending play at first.

The third inning was when the Padres really put this game away. Kemp led off with a single, and then Middlebrooks went yard. His seventh homer of the season put the Friars up 5-0, but the offense still wasn't done. Will Venable drew a walk, went to second on a wild pitch, and then scored on a single from Barmes. Just for good measure, they put together a couple singles and a sacrifice fly in the fourth to make it 7-0. That didn't quite hold, with Gregory Polanco hitting a homer off Desapaigne in the seventh. It didn't matter though, with the Padres wrapping things up to split the series with Pittsburgh.

The Mets come to town tomorrow, and Andrew Cashner will be the first to take them on. First pitch at 7:10 PM.