Padres Game Notes – May 20

HOME SWEET HOME: The Padres wrapped a two-game set against the Brewers in walk-off fashion yesterday, splitting the series at 1-1…will play host to the Seattle Mariners this weekend beginning with the first of three tonight to kickoff interleague play…will wrap up the homestand with a three-game series against the St. Louis Cardinals starting Monday…will have an off-day Thursday before starting a six-day, six-game, road trip through Washington and Atlanta.

“NATURAL” RIVALRY: The Padres and Mariners meet for the first time in 2011, the first of six matchups this season…will also travel to Seattle for a three-game set from 7/1-7/3…San Diego has gone 35-39 all-time against the Mariners, since interleague play began in 1997…have won six of their last 10 meetings but have dropped 14 of their last 21…have dropped 11 of their last 14 contests against the Mariners at PETCO Park.

INTERLEAGUE PLAY: San Diego went 9-6 in interleague play last season against the Mariners (4-2), Toronto Blue Jays (1-2), Baltimore Orioles (2-1) and Tampa Bay Rays (2-1)…have won 11 of their last 17 interleague contests dating back to 6/27/09…are also set to travel to Minnesota (6/17-19) and Boston (6/20-22) before hosting the Kansas City Royals (6/27-29) and traveling to Seattle (7/1-3) to wrap up interleague play.

JAPANESE COMMUNITY NIGHT: Tonight marks Japanese Community Night at PETCO Park…the game will be preceded by an autograph signing by MLB’s All-Time Saves Leader, Trevor Hoffman and his former Padres teammate Akinori Otsuka…Hoffman and Otsuka are joining forces to help raise funds for the children of Japan affected by the recent tsunami…100 % of the proceeds will go to UNICEF to help the children of Japan affected by the tsunami.

WHEN IT’S COLD OUTSIDE: The Padres have gone 9-8 so far in May, ranking tied for second in the Majors this month with 86 runs…are hitting .275 (162-for-589) overall this month, the second best average in the National League and third best in the Majors…the club’s 162 hits so far this month lead the NL and rank tied for third most in the Majors (also, Baltimore and New York-AL)…Brad Hawpe has led the offensive charge for the Padres this month, batting .365 (19-for-52) in May, the second best average this month in the NL and fifth best in the Majors (min. 50 PA).

ON A HAWPE AND A PRAYER: Since April 25, Brad Hawpe has hit .353 (24-for-68)…has 12 runs, six doubles, two homers and eight RBI during that stretch…he’s hit safely in 16 of 20 games (reached in 19 of the 20), including a season-high three hits and three runs last Saturday in his first start (second game) as an opposing player at Coors Field…in May, Hawpe is batting .365 (19-for-52) with four doubles, two homers, eight RBI and 11 runs...the .365 average in May is the fifth best average in the Majors and second best in the NL (min. 50 PA)…Hawpe is also currently on a season-high nine-game hitting streak, his longest hit streak since a career-best 12-game streak in 2009 (5/30-6/10).