The red-hot San Diego Padres continued their winning ways by sweep the Royals to finish their home stand with a 5-1 record. It was the first time they swept anybody in a three game series this year and also the first time three starters recorded consecutive wins. The sweep also secured their third consecutive series win, which included wins in seven of their last eight games. The Friars also moved out of last place but still remain 9.5 games behind the Giants who had a seven game win streak snapped by Chicago today. The Padres will hit the road to Seattle for three games before heading to San Francisco and Los Angeles before the All-Star break. Their next homestand will begin July 14^th with a four game series versus the hated Giants. Below is a series recap of the Padres big sweep over K.C.

June 27^th, 2011 Padres 4, Royals 3

WP Mat Latos (5-8) 6IP 7H 3R 3ER 2BB 6K 0HR

LP Jeff Francis (3-9) 5IP 5H 4R 3ER 1BB 1K 1HR

S Heath Bell (21) 1IP 2H 0R 0ER 0BB 1K 0HR

The Padres jumped to an early lead for Mat Latos and held on with stellar defense led by Orlando Hudson for a 4-3 win over the Royals Monday night.

Latos allowed three runs on seven hits through six innings, winning his first game since June 5^th against the Astros. He struck out six and walked only two.

After two flyouts by Chris Denorfia and Jason Bartlett in the bottom of the first, Chase Headley doubled to centerfield. Ryan Ludwick then walloped his 10^th homer of the season to push San Diego ahead, 2-0.

The Royals led off the top of the third with consecutive singles by Melky Cabrera and Chris Getz. Eric Hosmer then lifted a ball to deep left center, easily scoring Cabrera on a sacrifice fly. Latos then retired the next two Royals, escaping the inning allowing only one run.

Latos helped his own cause by doubling down the left field line to start the bottom half of the third. He advanced to third base on a groundout to first baseman Eric Hosmer by Denorfia. Latos did not score on Bartlett’s slow grounder to shortstop leaving him 90 feet away from home with two outs. But Mat slid in safely on a wild pitch by Jeff Francis to go up 3-1.

Headley walked and the tried to score from first on Ludwick’s double. The throw beat him home before he collided with catcher Brayan Pena, who held on for the third out.

The Padres were gifted another run in the fourth when Jesus Guzman grounded to shortstop Alcides Escobar and he airmailed the throw over the head of Hosmer, allowing Guzman to reach second. Two batters later Orlando Hudson wound gound to thirdbaseman Moustakas. Moustakas would field the ball and throw to first. Guzman broke for third on the throw and Hosmer then would throw the ball past Moustakas, allowing Guzman to score.

Latos got into a little bit of trouble in the sixth allowing consecutive singles to Alex Gordon and Jeff Francour putting runners on first and third with no outs. Francour then stole second before Latos struck out Mike Moustakas.

Pena then doubled in both runners to cut the lead to one. Escobar would then fly out to right field, allowing Pena to advance to third. Pinch-hitter Billy Butler hit a hard grounder up the middle that was cut off by Orlando Hudson. Hudson then simultaneously leaped and spun back towards first base as he threw the ball, just getting Butler for the third out, disallowing the Royals to tie the game.

Heath Bell came into the game in the ninth inning and promptly retired the first two batters. He then gave up consecutive singles by Cabrera and Getz before getting Hosmer to groundout to Rizzo who flipped it to Heath who tagged first for his 21^st save.

June 28^th, 2011 Padres 4, Royals 2

WP Clayton Richard (4-9) 7IP 5H 2R 2ER 1BB 5K 1HR

LP Felipe Paulino (0-2) 7IP 11H 4R 3ER 1BB 7K 0HR

S Heath Bell (22) 1IP 0H 0R 0ER 1BB 1K 0HR

Clayton Richard won his first home game since August of last year and the Padres beat the Royals 4-2, insuring victory for their third straight series.

Richard’s seven-inning, seven-strikeout effort got him in the “W” column for the first time in his last 12 starts at Petco Park. He two runs on five hits while issuing only one free pass.

The Padres jumped to an early lead for him with two consecutive one-out singles by Jason Bartlett and Chase Headley, putting runners at first and third. Ryan Ludwick then singled himself, bringing in Bartlett from third.

Catcher Matt Treanor tied the game with a two-out single in the second, scoring Jeff Francour from third.

But Cameron Maybin hit a high chopper to the pitcher that he beat out for an infield single. Then with the runner going, Kyle Phillips smacked a ball into the left-centerfield gap for a run scoring double. Clayton Richard then sacrificed Phillips over to third base. Will Venable then hit a sac fly to deep center to put the Padres up, 3-1.

Maybin led off the fourth with another infield single, this time to second base. After Maybin stole second base, Kyle Phillips lifted the ball to Alex Gordon in shallow left field. Maybin bluffed like he was tagging up, prompting Gordon to throw to third. The ball sailed over Mike Moustakas’s head and then through the legs of the pitcher backing up the play and into the dugout, allowing Maybin to come in and score.

Jeff Francour hit a solo homer in the seventh inning to cut the lead to two.

Heath Bell got Billy Butler to groundout to Rizzo before he walked Gordon. After Anthony Rizzo caught a Francour popup right next to the dougout steps, Gordon took second on a catcher’s indifference and then advance to third on a wild pitch. But Bell struck out Wilson Betimit for his third save in as many nights.

June 29^th, 2011 Padres 4, Royals 1

WP Tim Stauffer (4-5) 7IP 4H 1R 1ER 2BB 6K 0HR

LP Bruce Chen (4-2) 6IP 8H 4R 0ER 1BB 6K HR

S Heath Bell (23) 1IP 2H 0R 0ER 0BB 0K 0HR

The Padres swept a three game series for the first time this season culminating with a 4-1 victory over the Royals on Wednesday. Tim Stauffer also won consecutive starts for the first time this year, pitching seven innings allowing only one run on four hits.

The Royals took their first lead of the series in the bottom of th third with Eric Hosmer’s RBI single with two out, scoring Melky Cabrera from second.

The next half inning, Tim Stauffer popped up Bruce Chen’s first pitch high at the mound. With four Royals converging, Mike Moustakis called for the catch but bobbled it twice before it hit the ground, allowing Stauffer to reach base. Chris Denorfia then lined a single to shallow right to put two on with no outs. Cam Maybin then popped up to the mound, with Chen calling for the ball for the first out. Headley then popped out to for the second out.

But Ryan Ludwick came through yet again with a double to left scoring Stauffer to tie the game. Then with two strikes, Anthony Rizzo roped the ball to right field, scoring both baserunners to put the Padres ahead, 3-1. The two runs batted in doubled his total for the season. Rizzo then stole third and scored on Orlando Hudson’s slow dribbler along the third baselineto put the Padres ahead, 4-0.

Heath Bell came in for his fourth consecutive game and promptly gave up two singles.

However he got the next three batters to flyout, lastly Cabrera to Ludwick with runners on second and third, to end the game and earn his 23^rd save in 24 tries.