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Padres Press Clips Saturday, September 5, 2015

Article Source Author Page

Padres' favorite things are up for auction MLB.com Maiman 2

Padres hit three homers, but 'pen gets pounded MLB.com Cassavell/Maiman 4

'Ferrell Takes the Field' premieres tonight at Petco MLB.com Footer 7

Padres depleted 'pen can't keep it in the yard MLB.com Maiman 10

Ross takes on Dodgers, seeking 11th win MLB.com Maiman 12

Myers activated from 60-day DL MLB.com Maiman 13

Johnson faces just one batter in rehab start MLB.com Maiman 15

Dodgers still dig the long ball but mix in a little small ball ESPN.com Saxon 16

Dodgers hit 5 HRs in 8-4 win over Padres Associated Press AP 18

Myers returns as homer binge sinks Padres UT San Diego Sanders 20

Padres right- Johnson leaves rehab af UT San Diego Sanders 22

Will Padres give Kennedy a qualifying offer? UT San Diego Lin 24

Minors: Casey Kelly falters in El Paso loss UT San Diego Sanders 27

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Padres' favorite things are up for

auction Players' wives put together baskets to raise money for the

Monarch School

By Beth Maiman / MLB.com | 2:25 PM ET

SAN DIEGO -- Thanks to the wives and significant others of the players, fans will get an inside look into

some of the Padres' favorite things, as a silent auction fundraiser will be held on Saturday to raise money

for the Monarch School.

The players' favorite items will be displayed in baskets just inside the Home Plate Gate on the street level

before the Padres and Dodgers play at 5:40 p.m. PT. Fans will have the opportunity to bid on the baskets

from the time the gates open through the sixth inning.

Many of the baskets include players' favorite snacks, movies, wine, books and gift cards to their favorite

stores and restaurants, as well as game-used and autographed memorabilia.

Some baskets have a personal touch, like Derek Norris', who has little toy dinosaurs displayed on his

basket. James Shields' basket includes a skateboard, similar to the one he sometimes rides in to the

clubhouse with before games. Clint Barmes made sure to throw a journey CD in his, as the track

"Separate Ways" is the shortstop's walk-up song.

"It's always fun to look at everyone's baskets and see what the favorite things are and the creativity of the

wives presenting it," said Allison Kennedy, wife of pitcher Ian Kennedy.

The wives said that the players have also enjoyed the process of putting the baskets together, but some

Padres did have specific requests.

"I thought you could just go buy golf balls," said Craig Kimbrel's wife Ashley. "He was like, 'You have

to buy Titleist.'"

The wives all had a packing party to get the baskets ready, and many agreed that this event is the most

fun, because they really get to be hands on.

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Proceeds from the auction will be donated to the Monarch School of San Diego to build a sun shade

structure for its playground. The Monarch School is an educational center designed to help students

impacted by homelessness.

"We spent a lot of time during the offseason over at the Monarch School doing various parties for them,"

said Ashley Hoffman, Tyson Ross' girlfriend. "Going over there and seeing the kids that have such a huge

need for help from anybody -- that's what really touches me when we go over there.

"Knowing that they really need things at their school is a great thing for us to help out with. It's one of the

better causes we can help."

The goal of the auction is to raise $10,000 or more for the sun shade.

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Padres hit three homers, but 'pen gets

pounded By AJ Cassavell and Beth Maiman / MLB.com | 4:12 AM ET

SAN DIEGO -- The Home Run Derby comes to Petco Park next July, but the Dodgers staged their own

edition Friday night. In an 8-4 victory over the Padres, Los Angeles launched five home runs, including

three taters in a decisive five-run sixth inning.

The win, coupled with a Giants loss, gives the Dodgers a season-high 7 1/2-game lead in the National

League West, putting a third straight division title squarely on the horizon. Justin Ruggiano's pinch-hit,

two-run shot in the sixth gave L.A. a 5-3 lead before Adrian Gonzalezand Chase Utley went back-to-

back later in the frame.

"We said all year long, we didn't really play as a home run-hitting club, but we kind of continue to hit

them," said manager Don Mattingly, whose Dodgers lead the NL with 162 long balls. "... However you

win a game, you win a game. Obviously I'm not going to complain about home runs."

Matt Kemp, Jedd Gyorko and Brett Wallace went deep for the Padres, and the eight combined home

runs tied a single-game Petco Park record.

Padres starter James Shields labored, needing 107 pitches -- just 60 of them strikes -- to get through five

innings. Still, he managed to limit the Dodgers to three runs on three hits, despite a career-high six walks.

Shields surrendered two of the home runs and has now given up 28 on the season, tied for the third most

in the Majors.

"I don't think he was missing by much," Padres interim manager Pat Murphy said. "I think that he

certainly made big pitches and gave us a chance, but we were hoping he wasn't that deep in his pitch

count in the fifth. He had a lot of close pitches and it didn't go his way. I'm not complaining, just saying,

he had a lot of close ones and it wasn't like his command was way off, he was just missing by a little."

Dodgers starter Mike Bolsinger, pitching in a de facto tryout for the starting rotation, also lasted five

innings. He allowed three runs on two hits and picked up the win. It's uncertain whether he'll remain in the

rotation going forward.

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"I went down [to Triple-A] and did two different kind of roles," Bolsinger said. "So if they want me to

come up here and do two different kind of roles, I really don't have a problem with it. I felt really

comfortable coming out of the bullpen. … Whatever they want me to do, I'll do it."

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED

Your move, Skip: A chess match broke out in the top of the sixth inning when Bolsinger's spot came up

in the batting order. Mattingly called on lefty Andre Ethier to pinch-hit, and Murphy countered with

lefty specialist Marc Rzepczynski. That's when Mattingly dug deeper into his bench for Ruggiano, who

owns an .832 career OPS against lefties. Ruggiano crushed the first strike he saw into the Padres' bullpen,

and the floodgates opened. More >

"[Ethier] would have been able to hit if they left the righty in there," Mattingly said. "I just thought it was

going to be a lefty."

In the neighborhood? For the second consecutive night, the neighborhood play was the subject

of considerable controversy. With the bases loaded and one out in the fifth, Padres shortstop

Gyorko received a throw from first baseman Wil Myers about half a foot off the bag on an

attempted double play. Second-base umpire Ted Barrett ruled the baserunner out, and he didn't

budge when Mattingly came out to argue. Coincidentally, that baserunner was Utley, who was

not given the benefit of the doubt on a neighborhood-play call Thursday night.

Nonetheless, Gyorko's ensuing throw to first base sailed wide, and the Dodgers tied the game

at 3.

Scott's first trot: Scott Schebler, a September callup and the Dodgers' No. 12 prospect, launched

his first career home run in the second inning. There was never any doubt about it. Schebler

smacked a 3-2 changeup from Shields into the sandbox over the right-center-field wall. The ball

had an exit velocity of 109 mph and traveled 444 feet, according to Statcast™.

"It was awesome," Schebler said. "To do it off James Shields is pretty special. And just to get it

out of the way is nice, too." Kemp's 200th HR: Kemp blasted a 411-foot two-run homer in the first inning, marking the 200th home run of his career and No.18 this season. Kemp is now one of 34 active players and one of 16 active National League players to reach the milestone. SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS The Dodgers' five home runs are the most they've hit in a single game since they went deep six times against the D-backs on Sept. 9, 2013. Friday also marked the first time Los Angeles has ever hit five home runs in a game in San Diego. But it wasn't all about the long ball. The

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Dodgers swiped three bases, too, giving them five homers and three steals in a game for the first time since 2002. REPLAY REVIEW In the third inning, Gyorko hit what looked to be a just barely a home run to left field, but a fan in the crowd reached out for the catch, sending the ball back toward the field and Gyorko halted at second base. After a crew-chief review, the call was overturned, giving the Padres their third run of the game.

QUOTABLE

"The most important thing is keeping the team in the ballgame. Because with this offense,

they're going to come back and get you a win." -- Bolsinger

WHAT'S NEXT

Dodgers: Alex Wood starts against the Padres for just the second time in his career Saturday

evening. Wood was hit hard last July 25 vs. San Diego for five runs and 12 hits in five innings.

Ethier could make his return from a bruised right knee. He didn't start the first two games of the

series after fouling a ball off his right knee on Wednesday.

Padres: San Diego will send Tyson Ross to the mound for the third game of a four-game series

against the Dodgers. Ross (10-9 , 3.27 ERA), last faced the Dodgers on April 7, when he took a

no-decision, allowing two runs on six hits through six innings.

Exclusive premiere: Fans in attendance will be treated to an exclusive premiere on the Petco

Park video board of comedy star Will Ferrell in "Ferrell Takes The Field," immediately following

the game. The one-hour special makes its debut on HBO a week later, on Sept. 12.

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'Ferrell Takes the Field' premieres

tonight at Petco Actor expected to be in attendance in San Diego

By Alyson Footer / MLB.com | @AlysonFooter | 3:50 AM ET

When Ron Burgundy burst onto the scene as America's most beloved fictional news anchor, a love affair

formed between the somewhat inappropriate, mustachioed protagonist and one of the most beautiful cities

in America.

So it should come as no surprise that the actor who made Burgundy kind of a big deal in San Diego more

than a decade ago would premiere his first baseball movie in a ballpark located in the very city that he

implored to "stay classy" in the cult classic "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy."

Over time, Will Ferrell and San Diego have been warmly tied together in pop culture. Today, they'll be

together again, geographically, when Ferrell visits Petco Park for the premiere of his Spring Training

adventure, "Ferrell Takes the Field."

The movie will be shown at Petco Park following the Padres-Dodgers game, which begins at 5:40 p.m.

PT.

A quick refresher: Ferrell put in a 14-hour day last March in Arizona, visiting five Spring Training venues

at a dizzying pace, playing 10 positions for 10 teams. The cameras rolled -- dozens upon dozens of

cameras, as this was a joint venture between HBO, Funny or Die and Major League Baseball -- while

Ferrell suited up in 10 Major League uniforms.

He bantered with players and managers and provided plenty of comic relief during a cluster of

Cactus League games that would otherwise be considered, for the most part, uneventful.

"I just remember how funny he was in general," said D-backs pitcher Josh Collmenter, who

shared a Churro Dog with Ferrell that day. "Some people just have that way about them, with

the tone, the sarcasm, the way they can deliver stuff with a straight face, and he was like that in

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real life. Whether it was seeing him in the clubhouse, walking down the tunnel, interacting with

the fans or players, it was just the same hilarity you're used to seeing in his movies."

Ferrell was, at the time, 47 years old and, while in pretty decent shape for a man his age, was

not exactly in midseason Major League form. Still, he played his positions enthusiastically and

was able to maintain his focus at the plate, even when Angels skipper Mike Scioscia called for

the extreme shift to the right side of the infield when he was batting. (Ferrell, we should note, is

a righty.)

His pitching stint was a bit more challenging, but, with the help of Dodgers catcher Austin

Barnes, Ferrell made it through that part with all of his body parts still attached and functioning

properly.

"He told me he had a special pitch from Japan, a slurge," Barnes recalled. "The sign for it was

five-five. For sure he wanted me to call that pitch. His first warm-up went to the backstop. But

the first pitch to the hitter was a strike. That surprised me. I didn't think he'd be anywhere near

the plate after that warmup pitch."

"Ferrell Takes the Field" will air on HBO on Sept. 12 at 10 p.m. ET. Ferrell is scheduled to be in

attendance at the sneak peek at Petco today, and he will address the crowd.

Presumably, a few Padres players will stick around to watch the premiere, too.

"It was pretty crazy to see Will Ferrell on a baseball field," said pitcher Nick Vincent. "I can only

imagine how tired he was after that day of just flying around and how his body felt...he was

probably in pretty bad shape the next day. But it was a good laugh and a fun little 45 minutes.

It's pretty cool he was there."

Ferrell has made a living out of being hilariously outrageous, but he's also extremely relatable

because of his down-to-earth aura and everyman appearance. That made him a perfect lead

man for a day of mingling with Major League ballplayers who, for the most part, grew up

watching his movies.

And at the end of the day -- a very, very long day -- the entire venture was a charitable effort.

Ferrell waived every dollar of appearance fees he would normally receive and sent them to two

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causes -- MLB partner Stand Up To Cancer, and Cancer for College, a charity formed by his

good friend (and USC fraternity brother) Craig Pollard, a cancer survivor and double amputee

who started the fund two decades ago to send cancer patients to college.

Ferrell's Spring Training venture raised nearly as much in one day as Cancer For College raised

in a decade.

Star power can go a long way -- a lot farther than, say, Ferrell's hits against Major League

pitching. Under those terms, everyone wins.

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Padres depleted 'pen can't keep it in the

yard With Kelley and Maurer sidelined, trio of relievers

struggles vs. Dodgers

By Beth Maiman / MLB.com | 2:44 AM ET

SAN DIEGO -- Padres relievers allowed five runs in the sixth inning for the second straight day, but this

time the outcome would not go in their favor, as they fell, 8-4, to the Dodgers on Friday night.

San Diego pitchers allowed five home runs, the second most they have given up in a game this season. On

May 12 against Seattle, the Padres allowed six. Friday marked the first time the Dodgers have ever

homered five times at Petco.

With relievers Brandon Maurer and Shawn Kelley nursing injuries, the Padres have looked to other

enforcements hoping to fill in the roles. As the bullpen continues to struggle, interim manager Pat Murphy

admitted that the absence of Maurer and Kelley doesn't go unnoticed.

"It's easy to point to right now, when you have your sixth- and seventh-inning guy out. Both have been so

effective," Murphy said. "It's hard to replace."

In the sixth inning, with the game tied at 3, Marcos Mateo replaced starter James Shields, who allowed

three runs on three hits, recording a career high six walks. Shields surrendered two of the five Dodgers'

home runs, throwing 107 pitches, 60 for strikes.

After the game, Shields admitted that getting himself behind on counts and walking batters was unusual

for him.

"There's pitches I felt he could have called strikes, but when you get behind in the count, it's hard to come

back from," Shields said.

"I don't think he was missing by much," Murphy said. "I think that he certainly made big pitches and gave

us a chance, but we were hoping he wasn't that deep in his pitch count in the fifth. He had a lot of close

pitches and it didn't go his way. I'm not complaining, just saying, he had a lot of close ones and it wasn't

like his command was way off. He was just missing by a little."

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Mateo, who came off the disabled list on Tuesday after a neck strain, struck out a batter before

walking Joc Pederson.

With two outs, Murphy called in lefty Marc Rzepczynski to replace Mateo, which would backfire.

Dodgers manager Don Mattingly called back Andre Ethier, who was set to pinch-hit, and sent Justin

Ruggiano to the plate. Ruggiano promptly hit a two-run homer to left-center field on a 0-2 pitch.

"'Zep [Rzepczynski] has done a good job earlier in the season. When we first acquired him, he was getting

people out," Murphy said. "Mateo, before his injury was getting people out. ... So we are going to have to

piece it together."

Rzepczynski allowed a single to Jimmy Rollins and struck out Carl Crawford before giving up another

two-run homer to Adrian Gonzalez.

The left-hander was replaced by Jon Edwards, who also gave up a home run, as Chase Utley gave the

Dodgers their eighth run with a blast to right field.

"We are piecing it together the best we can," Murphy said. "And give credit to the Dodger guys. Hit three

homers in the inning -- it's pretty unfortunate."

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Ross takes on Dodgers, seeking 11th

win By Beth Maiman / MLB.com | 3:14 AM ET

Tyson Ross and Alex Wood will face off as the Padres and Dodgers play the penultimate game of a four-

game series at Petco Park on Saturday.

Ross (10-9 , 3.27 ERA) earned his 10th win in his last outing, allowing three hits in seven scoreless

innings. The right-hander last faced the Dodgers on April 7, when he took a no-decision, allowing two

runs on six hits in six innings.

Wood (9-9, 3.67 ERA) will be making his seventh start for the Dodgers since coming over in a trade with

the Braves. He lost his last start vs. the Cubs on Aug. 30, when the Dodgers were no-hit by Jake Arrieta.

Wood pitched six innings, allowing two runs on eight hits.

Things to know about this game

• Fans in attendance will be treated to an exclusive premiere on the Petco Park video board of comedy

star Will Ferrell in "Ferrell Takes The Field," immediately following the game. The one-hour special

makes its debut on HBO a week later, on Sept. 12.

• Three Padres pitchers are in the top 25 in the NL for home runs allowed, but Ross has only allowed five

this season.

• No active player has more home runs against the Padres than Andre Ethier's 23.

• Carl Crawford is 8-for-15 with three doubles in his career against Ross.

• Wood doesn't have a history against many of the players on the Padres' active roster, but he has

struggled against the few he has faced. Alexi Amarista, Matt Kemp, Derek Norris, Yangervis Solarte and

Clint Barmes have combined to go 7-for-12 against him. Kemp is 2-for-3 with a home run against the

southpaw.

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Myers activated from 60-day DL Padres youngster says he's fully recovered from wrist

surgery

By Beth Maiman / MLB.com | 1:45 AM ET

SAN DIEGO -- WIl Myers was reinstated from the 60-day disabled list Friday and was in the lineup for

the Padres for the first time since June 13.

Myers started at first base and batted sixth, going 0-for-4, but reaching base on a dropped third strike and

stealing a base in the second inning of the 8-4 loss to the Dodgers. He moved to center field in the ninth.

The 24-year-old was the team's Opening Day starter in center field and played some at first base. Padres'

starting first baseman Yonder Alonso is struggling with back tightness and is day to day. Assistant

general manager Josh Stein said that he expects Alonso to be back during this homestand and that could

affect where Myers will play.

"Everything feels 100 percent," Myers said. "It feels the way it felt before I got hurt. It's fine now, no

problems, no pain -- everything feels normal."

The Padres recalled right-hander Cory Mazzoni from Triple-A El Paso and placed him on the 60-day DL

to make room on the 40-man roster for Myers.

Myers first landed on the disabled list May 19 with tendinitis in his left wrist. He came back June 11, only

to land back on the DL four days later. On June 18, Myers had surgery to remove a bone spur that was

causing the tendinitis.

"Obviously very hopeful that this is the last episode," Stein said. "When we went in and did the surgery

for the bone spur we felt like that was the root cause of the issues in the wrist and that has now been

removed."

Myers went on a three-game rehab assignment with Class A Advanced Lake Elsinore on Tuesday. He

started in all three games hitting leadoff, playing two games in center field and one at first base and going

2-for-9.

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"After we sent him out on the rehab assignment three days ago, I don't think it was necessarily the plan to

activate him after three games, but I think he felt good," Stein said. "His timing was very good, watching

his at-bats, how he felt primarily, all those things kind of lined up and we felt like it was the right time to

get him back out there."

Stein said the team discussed late Thursday night the possibility of having Myers continue his rehab

assignment.

"This time of year you can do a lot of things, you can lobby, you can do a lot a lot of different things,"

interim manager Pat Murphy said. "Our decisions finally come down to a lot of different things. Wil is not

in midseason form. Wil's not in the best situation going up to take at-bats, in terms of timing, and we feel

like he is that talented that he can add something to the game tonight."

Myers was hitting .277/.327/.459 with five home runs and 19 RBIs in 35 games before his second stint on

the disabled list.

Worth noting

• Reliever Brandon Maurer, who went on the DL with right-shoulder inflammation on Aug. 10, threw at

60 feet on Wednesday and experienced soreness afterwards. He is now back in the treatment phase.

"I don't think it is anything serious," Stein said. "And hopefully get him ramped back up so he can start a

throwing progression and get back on the mound before the year [is over]. That's the goal obviously there

is a timeline and we are running out of season, but that's our goal."

• Reliever Shawn Kelley was still unavailable for the Padres, as he is day to day with a right-forearm

strain. Kelley felt discomfort when throwing a warmup pitch during Tuesday's game and exited.

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Johnson faces just one batter in rehab

start Padres pitcher was scheduled to pitch one inning

By Beth Maiman / MLB.com | 4:13 AM ET

SAN DIEGO -- Josh Johnson's made his first rehab appearance since undergoing Tommy John surgery,

starting Friday for Class A Advanced Lake Elsinore. He faced one batter, threw four pitches and gave up

a hit before exiting the game. Johnson was scheduled to pitch one inning.

The Padres didn't have an update on Johnson Friday night.

A Lake Elsinore spokesperson told the San Diego Union-Tribune on Friday that "Johnson called trainers

and coaches out to the mound after his last pitch -- a single to right field -- and then headed toward the

clubhouse after brief conversation."

Johnson had thrown one-inning simulated games leading up to his rehab assignment.

The 31-year-old right-hander hasn't pitched in the big leagues since 2013. It's been a long road since his

April 24, 2014, surgery. Johnson had hopes to make it back for the 2015 season, but he suffered a setback

in April.

Before heading out for his rehab assignment, Johnson said he felt good and was hopeful he would be able

to compete again.

"Being here, showing up every day, working hard, [being able to pitch again] would make it kind of easier

to go through," Johnson said on Tuesday. "It's been tough, it's been a long road, but things happen for a

reason. I don't know why right now, but it's all part of it."

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Dodgers still dig the long ball but mix in a little small ball Mark Saxon, ESPN Staff Writer

SAN DIEGO -- Is the Los Angeles Dodgers’ offense too reliant on home runs? It’s an absurd question, right? Home runs are the easiest way to score. They’re nice and tidy and nobody has to get dirty. The Dodgers lead the National League with 162 home runs. They never expected to hit this many, but they are hitting them and they’re celebrating them, as they should. They mashed five more in their 8-4 win over the San Diego Padres on Friday night. Even guys who no one has ever heard of, such as Scott Schebler and Justin Ruggiano, went deep. As Jimmy Rollins joked, now they’re truly Dodgers.

What are they supposed to do, apologize for hitting the ball extremely hard?

“Obviously, I’m not going to complain about home runs,” manager Don Mattingly said.

But there will come a time -- and we all know when that time is -- when waiting for somebody to send a ball soaring high and deep might not be the best plan of attack. In fact, we can get a little more specific now that it appears extraordinarily likely that the Dodgers will face the New York

Mets in the first round of the playoffs.

Waiting to hit home runs off the Mets pitching staff might make for a long wait.

A lot can change in the next month, but the Dodgers now have a 7½-game lead in their division, the Mets have a five-game lead in their division and, barring a miracle, the St. Louis Cardinals will play the winner of the wild-card game. Both Dodger Stadium and Citi Field tend to suppress offense and have fences that are more distant than many NL stadiums. Oh, and the Mets’ three best starting pitchers -- Matt

Harvey, Jacob deGrom and Noah Syndergaard -- have combined to allow 48 home runs this season in 457 2/3 innings.

It’s possible those three could be the only starting pitchers the Dodgers would face in a short series, and the Mets’ big three are averaging fewer than a home run per nine innings. The math isn’t that hard. The Dodgers might need to find other ways to score.

Most of this season, the Dodgers have been absolutely awful running the bases. They’re not only slow, they’ve made bad decisions.

But they’ve begun focusing on fixing the problem with a modicum of success lately. They had a big meeting a few weeks ago in Oakland on the subject of creating a little offense on the bases,

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and the coaches have continued to emphasize smart, appropriately aggressive running. The addition of third-base coach Ron Roenicke, who has a keen eye for picking up good running opportunities, has helped. But mostly what has helped is adding faster, better baserunners, including Chase Utley, Jose Peraza and, on Friday, Schebler.

The Dodgers didn’t just hit five home runs Friday. They also stole three bases, which was probably more surprising.

This season has been an occasionally frustrating one for Dodgers first-base coach Davey Lopes, one of the game’s shrewdest, most disruptive runners in his day, as he has seen the plodding and blundering from close range.

“He keeps threatening me with bringing his cleats out, so I’m trying not to let that happen,” Rollins joked. “We talked about it as a team, running and doing those things. Guys have definitely been more open to it from the top down. Now, we’re starting to get results, and it’s better late than never.”

It might, in fact, be just in the nick of time.

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Dodgers hit 5 HRs in 8-4 win over Padres Associated Press

SAN DIEGO -- Somehow, Dodgers manager Don Mattingly still seems surprised at his team's power.

Justin Ruggiano and Adrian Gonzalez hit two-run homers and Chase Utleyadded a solo blast in a five-run sixth inning as the Los Angeles Dodgers hit five homers in an 8-4 win over the San Diego

Padres on Friday night. Carl Crawford and rookie Scott Schebler added solo home runs as the Dodgers increased their NL West lead to a season-high 7 1-2 games over San Francisco, which lost 2-1 at Colorado. Los Angeles, which has won nine of 11, leads the NL with 162 home runs.

"We kind of said we weren't a home run hitting club and we continue to hit them," Mattingly said.

Mike Bolsinger (6-3), who spent August with Triple-A Oklahoma City, allowed just two hits in five innings, but they were both home runs. Matt Kemp hit a two-run homer in the first and Jedd

Gyorko had a solo home run in the third. Bolsinger struck out six and walked two in his first start since July 29.

Mattingly implied before the game that this was an audition of sorts for Bolsinger in light of the troubles that Mat Latos has had since he came over in a trade from Miami. "Whatever they want me to do, I will do it," Bolsinger said.

Padres pinch-hitter Brett Wallace hit a solo homer in the eighth as the teams tied the Petco Park record for combined home runs in one game with eight. Marcos Mateo (1-1), who faced two batters to start the sixth inning, took the loss. Dodgers rookie Corey Seager followed his successful major league debut with two more hits and an RBI. Seager had two hits and two RBI in his first game on Thursday night. In the sixth, San Diego interim manager Pat Murphy countered left-handed pinch-hitter Andre

Ethier with southpaw Marc Rzepczynski. Dodgers manager Don Mattingly called back Ethier for the recently acquired Ruggiano, who hammered Rzepczynski's second pitch over the center field wall to give the Dodgers a 5-3 lead. Jimmy Rollins singled, and after a strikeout, Gonzalez connected off Rzepczynski for his 26th home run. Utley then homered off John Edwards to right to push the lead to 8-3. "It's easy to point to right now when you have your sixth- and seventh-inning guys out with injuries," Murphy said. "It's hard to replace."

San Diego starter James Shields struggled to get through five innings. The right-hander allowed just three hits, but walked a season-high six batters and constantly had to pitch out of trouble.

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GONZO VS. PADRES

Gonzalez, the San Diego native, continues to hit well against his former team. Gonzalez is hitting .345 with seven home runs and 16 RBI against the Padres in 14 games.

KEMP BY THE NUMBERS

Kemp hit his 200th career homer in the first inning. He also extended his career-high on-base streak to 24 games.

Dodgers: Mattingly said it may be difficult for RF Yasiel Puig (strained right hamstring) to return before the end of the regular season. Padres: Wil Myers (left wrist tendinitis), who missed 98 games this season, was activated off the DL and started at 1B. ... RHP Brandon Maurer (right shoulder inflammation) suffered a setback in his rehabilitation and has stopped throwing.

UP NEXT

Dodgers: LHP Alex Wood (9-9, 3.67 ERA) goes against the Padres. He has pitched much better on the road this season, going 6-5 with a 3.17 ERA in 17 starts compared to 3-4 and 4.67 ERA in nine home starts. Padres: RHP Tyson Ross (10-9, 3.27) is coming off one of his best starts of the season, a seven-inning, three-hit outing in a 7-0 win over Texas.

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Myers returns as homer binge sinks Padres He missed 98 of Padres' first 134 games while contending with tendinitis in left wrist

By Jeff Sanders | 6:48 p.m. Sept. 4, 2015 | Updated, 11:30 p.m.

Whether or not Wil Myers is the first baseman of the future – or left fielder or some other

position the Padres ask him to play – he is a part of their future.

He’s part of their present, too. Finally.

Sidelined for a total of 98 games over two trips to the disabled list, the 24-year-old Myers swiped

a base in his return to the lineup on Friday in the Padres’ 8-4 loss to Los Angeles. Though

Adrian Gonzalez and the Dodgers provided grander gestures with five of the Petco Park-record-

tying eight homers in front of a crowd of 33,025, Myers simply taking the field following mid-June

wrist surgery represented a significant hurdle cleared for body, mind and spirit.

“Being out three months, just being able to get back into a big league lineup would mean

everything,” said Myers, who played eight innings at first base, one in center field and went 0-

for-4 with three strikeouts. “That’s what I’ve worked hard for the last three months. … Just going

into the offseason knowing my wrist is fine will be a big step.”

Not that this step was entirely expected. At least not after just three minor league games to get

him up to speed after spending the last 81 days on a second trip to the DL.

In fact, at one point, a complete shutdown was on the table as the front office discussed just

how to approach Myers’ rehab. Instead, the Padres took an entirely different route, penciling him

into the sixth spot in their big league lineup after he went 2-for-9 with a double, two walks and

two strikeouts the previous three days with high Single-A Lake Elsinore.

“When we sent him out on the rehab assignment three days ago, I don’t think it was necessarily

the plan to activate him this soon, but he felt good,” Assistant General Manager Josh Stein said.

“His timing was good, just watching his bat and talking to the coaches up there, and how he felt,

primarily – all those things lined up.

“We felt it was the right time to get him back in there.”

About time in a lot of ways, really.

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Acquired in December in a three-team deal that cost the Padres – among others – highly-touted

prospects Trea Turner and Joe Ross, Myers had been limited to 35 games after having wrist

issues dog him for a second straight year. After one failed attempt to come back from tendinitis

in mid-June, the Padres opted to slow-play the injury in hopes for a once-and-for-all fix.

A surgical procedure in Scottsdale, Ariz., shaved down the bone spur irritating the tendon in

question before rest and strength and conditioning work consumed Myers’ daily routine. He

backed off when his first attempt to start a swing program was met with soreness and then

pushed through that barrier to arrive at a rehab assignment on Tuesday.

“It’s fine now,” said Myers, who started two games in center field and one at first base with the

Storm. “I’ve got no problems, no pain. Everything feels normal.”

Again, about time.

The AL Rookie of the Year with 13 homers and 53 RBIs in 88 games with the Rays in 2013,

Myers injured his left wrist early in 2014 and later fractured his right wrist, the latter injury

sending him to the disabled list for 70 games. Though he slugged just .268 upon returning to

action last August, Myers had emerged as one of the Padres’ most productive hitters through

early May, swatting five homers, driving in 19 runs, scoring 28 times and fashioning an .833 on-

base-plus-slugging percentage as the team’s primary leadoff hitter.

At the end of the day on May 9 – the night he tweaked his wrist while diving into a base at

Arizona – the Padres were two games over .500. They began Friday at four-under, with a 0.1

percent shot at the playoffs and just 28 games left to the season.

Twenty-eight important games if you ask Myers.

“I'm excited,” Myers said. “We got the bone spur out that was causing the injuries. Hopefully I

can just put everything behind me.”

22

Padres right- Johnson leaves rehab after 4 pitches hander attempting comeback from second Tommy John surgery

By Jeff Sanders | 6:30 p.m. Sept. 4, 2015 | Updated, 8:01 p.m.

Josh Johnson’s push to pitch at least one game for the Padres may be in jeopardy.

Sent out on his first rehab assignment since undergoing Tommy John surgery – in April 2014 –

the 31-year-old right-hander threw four pitches for high Single-A Lake Elsinore on Friday before

leaving the game. He had been scheduled to throw one inning while with the Storm in Visalia

and then another inning on Monday if all went well.

It did not.

According to a Storm spokesperson, Johnson called trainers and coaches out to the mound

after his last pitch – a single to right field – and then headed toward the clubhouse after brief

conversation.

The Padres have not updated Johnson’s status.

Signed to an $8 million deal before the 2014 season, Johnson missed the entire year after

undergoing the second Tommy John surgery of his career. He returned on an incentive-laden

$1 million deal, but a number of setbacks had delayed his first rehab game until Friday.

Injury updates

RHP Brandon Maurer (shoulder) reported soreness after starting a throwing program

Wednesday with catch from 60 feet out. “He continued to feel something so we backed off a

little bit into the treatment phase,” Assistant General Manager Josh stein said. “We don’t think

it’s anything serious. We’ll continue to treat him and then ramp up a throwing program and

hopefully have him up on a mound before the end of the season. That’s the goal.”

RHP Shawn Kelley (forearm) said he expects to resume throwing in a few days. He has been

resting and receiving treatment since walking off the mound Tuesday with discomfort. The

Padres have not deemed an MRI of the forearm or elbow – which has been reconstructed twice

– necessary.

1B Yonder Alonso (lower back tightness) remained out of the lineup but is expected to return to

action before the conclusion of the homestand.

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Making room

To accommodate Wil Myers’ activation from the 60-day disabled list, the Padres recalled right-

hander Cory Mazzoni from Triple-A El Paso and promptly placed him on the 60-day DL with a

shoulder strain, a paperwork move that cleared a spot on the 40-man roster.

Mazzoni was 1-3 with a 3.97 ERA, 46 strikeouts and 12 walks in 34 innings out of the bullpen in

the Pacific Coast League. In eight appearances with the Padres this year, the 25-year-old

reliever allowed 20 earned runs in 8 2/3 innings (22.85 ERA).

‘Ferrell Takes the Field” … at Petco Park

After Saturday’s game, the Padres will host the premier of “Ferrell Takes the Field,” the HBO

special chronicling actor Will Ferrell’s spring training trek through the Cactus League. He played

10 different positions for 10 teams in one day, finishing in right field for the Padres after facing a

batter as a Dodgers pitcher.

Ferrell will be on hand to introduce the film, which will begin 10 minutes after the game.

24

Will Padres give Kennedy a qualifying offer?

By Dennis Lin | 11 a.m. Sept. 4, 2015

Beginning Monday against the Rockies, Ian Kennedy has five starts left in a Padres uniform.

After the World Series wraps in early November, the veteran right-hander will reach free agency,

an all-important threshold for discovering his true value on the open market. Thirty-one in

December, a father of four and a good-natured but highly focused competitor, Kennedy will have

much to consider.

So, too, will the Padres. Part of the calculus: Will they give one of their most productive starting

pitchers a qualifying offer?

For teammate Justin Upton, that became a foregone conclusion once San Diego passed on

trading the left fielder at the July 31 deadline. By extending a qualifying offer and then having it

declined - Upton stands to be one of the winter's most coveted free agents - the Padres would

receive a compensatory draft pick at the end of the first round.

For Kennedy, the answer to that question has gone from skepticism to something closer to a

slam dunk. Following two shaky months that included a rare trip to the disabled list, Kennedy

has logged a 2.63 ERA over his last 17 starts. In his most recent outing, he held the lefty-heavy

Rangers to two runs over seven innings and matched a career high with 12 strikeouts.

Said General Manager A.J. Preller: "He's been really as good as anyone on the staff here the

last few months."

The final decision, of course, rests largely in Preller's hands, as do many others in a year that

hasn't lived up to expectations. The Padres have more than $65 committed to four players for

the 2016 season, a major obstacle to retooling the roster. The qualifying offer, meanwhile,

projects to increase from $15.3 million in 2014 to close to $16 million.

Could the Padres risk the chance that Kennedy, already on the other side of 30, becomes the

first player to say yes? Do they even see it as a risk?

"All the offseason-type calls, the calls for next year, there's still a lot to be determined," Preller

said. "You look at the makeup of the club, you look at the needs. From our standpoint, we

always need a starting pitcher who can go out and perform like he's performed over the last five

or six years. That's 200 innings (per season), that's quality innings, what he's doing right now,

double-digit strikeouts. He's put himself in position to be in everybody's mix. For sure, right now

he's in our mix.

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"As far as the qualifying offer, all those decisions we'll get to and talk about at the end of the

year and make a call with all the pending free agents."

Kennedy's agent, the most powerful in the sport, certainly will be a factor in the process. Scott

Boras has a lengthy and notable track record of going to free agency and securing

unprecedented contracts for his clients, sometimes holding out into the spring to find a

satisfactory deal.

With a career ERA of 3.93, Kennedy isn't in the upper echelon of soon-to-be free-agent pitchers.

On the other hand, he could be just the latest test of Boras' negotiating prowess. Industry

evaluators estimate that Kennedy could get a three-year deal with a moderate annual average

value, his price tempered by the cost of a draft pick. (If Kennedy declines a qualifying offer, he

would cost any club that signs him its first-round pick in the 2016 amateur draft, unless that pick

is in the top 10. In that case, the club would forfeit its next-highest selection.)

Still, that likely is a preferable option over a one-year, $16 million dice roll. In the meantime, the

pitcher himself said he hasn't given much thought to the prospect of an offer.

"Going into the season, you knew that if I pitched to my capabilities like I am now, the

possibility's there," said Kennedy, who is making $9.85 million in his final year of salary

arbitration. "I don't think we've even brought it up with Scott. Allison (Kennedy's wife) and I will

approach that if it comes or when it comes. It's pretty cool, just to have that opportunity to make

it more realistic. But it's also just a possibility."

Quick to cite his Christian faith, Kennedy isn't the type to worry. On July 31, he got through the

deadline without being traded, shed tears as he watched the birth of his fourth daughter on

FaceTime and, later that night, threw seven innings of two-run ball in Miami.

"There also was the possibility of trades in August, too," Kennedy noted. "Now, it's passed. I

guess after July 31, I just kind of said, Hey, I can't focus on that. I have to focus on my work. If I

get traded, the good thing was it's probably going to be a contender. But if not, hey, I'm in San

Diego. I can work with (pitching coach Darren Balsley) a little more and (interim manager Pat

Murphy), so yeah, I kind of let that all pass."

Kennedy, who'd gone from a one-time Cy Young candidate to struggling in Arizona, revived his

career in 2014 with a 200-inning, 200-strikeout campaign for the Padres. Then, in his opening

start this season, he strained his left hamstring and eventually went on the DL for the first time in

six years. When he returned, the 6-footer had trouble staying on top of the ball, contributing to a

mix of OK performances and disastrous ones.

"I'm not making excuses, but the hamstring was a hindrance early," Balsley said. "He uses his

legs as much as anyone on our staff. ... He's a really long strider.

"The injury may have helped him in a way," Balsley added. "Fastball command became so

important to him, he had to find a way to get back to that."

While his home-run-to-fly-ball rate remains a career high at 17.8 percent, Kennedy has limited

the damage. Since the start of June, he has recorded 105 strikeouts and 31 walks over 102 2/3

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innings. In August, when he threw a change-up, opponents hit just .130 against his best

secondary pitch. His fastball velocity this season has averaged slightly above 92 mph, the

second-highest mark of his career.

At 30, Kennedy is showing he has plenty left.

"If he continues what he's done, where we're seeing the really good Ian Kennedy, that's elite,"

Balsley said. "He's been elite for almost half the season, and just continuing to do what he's

been doing, that will be the improvement."

Kennedy's consistency also has provided more reason to think he could be a means to

recouping a draft pick, rather than seeing him walk for nothing. He doesn't want to look beyond

his next five starts, but he acknowledged he will have much to consider after his last pitch this

season.

"There's a lot of factors," Kennedy said. "There's family. One of the big things is, I want to win.

And that's what got us all excited about this year, thinking we were going to have a chance to

win. A lot of us, like myself, early on didn't produce. But for the most part, what we play for is a

championship, at least having a chance to go to the playoffs.

"When I played (in Arizona) in 2011, we went to the playoffs. That was so much fun. Everybody

plays better. You're not playing for yourself. You're playing for each other."

The Padres made an aggressive bet before this season, doubling down on what they figured

would be a strong rotation. Overall, however, the staff has underwhelmed, Kennedy's recent

performance a bright spot.

"I think what A.J.'s trying to do, he's on the right track," Kennedy said. "It's hard to make it

happen Year One. He tried. I think he has the right moves, the right mentality. ... You never

know. All the trades he pulled off (last offseason) and if some guys stay healthy, yeah, I'm

curious to see what happens in San Diego."

Asked about a potential return, Kennedy said: "Obviously, I'd consider it. Also, it depends on if

A.J. wants me back and what happens with the coaching staff and players. There's a lot of

things you have to consider."

If Kennedy keeps pitching like he has over these final five starts, the Padres will have more than

enough information to make a decision.

27

Minors: Casey Kelly falters in El Paso loss Recapping the latest action from around the Padres' farm system

By Jeff Sanders | 8 a.m. Sept. 5, 2015

Right-hander Casey Kelly allowed five runs in five innings as Triple-A El Paso dropped a 6-5

decision to Reno on Friday night to fall a game behind division-leading Las Vegas.

The season ends Monday.

Hunter Renfroe (.347) drove in two runs on four more hits, including a triple, and Casey McElroy

(.270), Rymer Liriano (.292) each had two hits, including Liriano's third triple.

Kelly (1-2, 6.32) struck out six and yielded nine hits and two walks in his third start with El Paso

(75-65).

DOUBLE-A SAN ANTONIO (59-78)

Missions 2, Midland 1: RHP Bryce Morrow (5-3, 4.01) struck out three and allowed a run on five

hits and a walk in six innings. 3B Gabriel Quintana (.346) singled for the Missions' lone hit and

scored one two runs produced with outs.

HIGH SINGLE-A LAKE ELSINORE (48-89)

Visalia 8, Storm 4: RHP Michael Kelly (0-6, 8.40) allowed six runs (three earned) in six innings

after RHP Josh Johnson (elbow) walked off the mound in a rehab start after just four pitches.

DH Marcus Davis (.254) drove in two runs on three hits, including a double.

LOW SINGLE-A FORT WAYNE (75-60)

TinCaps 4, West Michigan 1: RHP Ernesto Montas (12-7, 3.50) struck out three and allowed a

run on five hits and no walks in seven innings and RHP Colby Blueberg (1.09) struck out two to

convert his 21st save. 3B Luis Tejada (.285) went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored and C

Jose Ruiz (.217) singled and scored two runs.

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SHORT-SEASON TRI-CITY (40-34)

Dust Devils 8, Spokane 0: 1B Ty France (.285) drove in three runs on two hits, including a

double, and SS Peter Van Gansen (.270) drove in two runs on three hits, including a double.

RHP Adrian De Horta (2-1, 3.26) struck out six over five scoreless innings.