The Padres and Nationals put on a Home Run Derby of their own with long balls dominating the scoring with the winning team plating at least six batters each game. The Padres offense came alive the first two games but were unable to win the close game coming up just short each time. But Mat Latos showed that if he’s not their “ace” he could be their “stopper” with another awe-inspiring performance. Ahead is a game by game recount of the Friars trip to our nation’s capital.

July 6^th, 2010 Padres 5 Nationals 6

WP Matt Capps (3-3) 1IP 2H 0R 0ER 0BB 0K 0HR

LP Luke Gregerson (2-4) 1IP 1H 1R 1ER 0BB 0K 1HR

Mike Zimmerman made his push for the final spot of the Senior Circuit All-Star team hitting a walk-off homer to start the bottom of the ninth off of the near suddenly mortal Luke Gregerson. It was his second homer of the night, having a solo blast in the fourth inning to bring the score to 4-2 in favor of D.C.

The Padres held a brief lead in the top of the first with Tony Gwynn Jr. scoring on a Scott Hairston sacrifice fly to go up 1-0. That lead disappeared immediately as the Nationals scored three runs in the bottom half highlighted by Mike Morse’s two run single.

Adrian Gonzalez singled in Clayton Richard in the third to make it 3-2. This was followed by the aforementioned homerun by Zimmerman and another homerun, this time by Ian Desmond, in the fifth to make it 5-3.

The Padres rallied in the eighth starting with singles by Gonzalez and Hairston to run starter Livan Hernandez and bring in Tyler Clippard. After Chase Headley singled to bring the bases full of Padres, Yorvit Torealba singled home Adrian Gonzalez. Aaron Cunningham had a sacrifice fly to left field causing Jim Riggleman to go to the pen again to Sean Burnett. Pinch hitter Oscar Salazar appeared to ground into a double play before Ian Desmond’s throwing error sailed past first base allowing and advancing Headley to score from third and tie the game. David Eckstein pinch hit for Edward Mujica and popped out to end the Padres furious comeback.

The bottom of the ninth saw Scott Hairston double to left field with his older brother Jerry streaking from first base en route to home plate with two outs. He was gunned down unable to touch home with a nice block by Ivan Rodriguez to keep the Padres from taking the lead. This was the last play before Zimmerman stepped to the plate to start the bottom of the ninth.

July 7^th, 2010 Padres 6 Nationals 7

WP J.D. Martin (1-4) 5.67IP 6H 2R 2ER 1BB 4K 1HR

LP John Garland (8-6) 6IP 8H 6R 6ER 2BB 4K 3HR

Adam Dunn hit a career high three homers to lead the Nationals over the Padres 7-6 and win the series with a game to play. Ian Desmond also homered to give the Nationals seven homeruns in two games.

Adrian Gonzalez hit his 17^th big fly of the season this time with two outs to give the Padres a 1-0 lead. This lead was shortlived when Ryan Zimmerman hit singled home Niger Morgan before Dunn plated three more clearing the centerfield fence to go up 4-1. They would not surrender that lead for the rest of the contest.

The Padres drew close in the eighth when Nick Hundley doubled in Adrian followed by Aaron Cunningham’s groundout to score Chase Headley from third to make it 6-5, Washington. But Dunn then hit his third of the night to go back up two. With two outs in the ninth Matt Stairs hit his first pinch-hit homerun as a Padre. It was his 20^th of his career, tying the major league record.

July 8^th, 2010 Padres 7 Nationals 1

WP Mat Latos (10-4) 7IP 5H 0R 0ER 2BB 8K 0HR

LP Luis Atilano (6-6) 5.33IP 8H 4R 4ER 2BB 2K 2HR

In his first start since being left off the National League All-Star roster Mat Latos shined brighter than any in D.C. He threw Seven scoreless innings and struck out eight allowing zero runs. His tenth win was his fifth straight without a loss and snapped a two-game skid by this suddenly vulnerable pitching staff. And to top it off Latos hit his first career homer to help the Padres reach 50 wins with three games to go before the All-Star break.

San Diego had scored at least six runs, leading 1-0 in the first all three games this series. Yorvit Torealba started them off with a bases loaded single. The Padres had three solo home runs with Denorfia and Latos going deep to left in the fourth and Jerry Hairston Jr. in the ninth. Chase Headley also hit a two-run four-bagger in the seventh.

Luke Gregerson got touched up again giving up a run on two hits and a walk before getting a double play and a popup to escape with minimal damage.