HOME OPENER: PADRES WIPE OUT BRAVES 17-2

Maybe it was because San Diego Chargers football star Philip Rivers threw out the first pitch- because the opening day game yesterday that I attended produced a football- like score.

San Diego scored a Petco Park record 17 runs on Monday, and Blanks and Venable led the charge. Blanks finished with a homer and five RBIs.

Blanks still has nine strikeouts in 25 at-bats, but his power potential remains more than a fantasy temptation. Mixed-leaguers should double check the wire to see if he's available.

He's a bench play that will be an ever-day starter in the near future. Same goes for Venable (3-for-5, HR, 4 runs, 2 RBIs SB).

Both Venable and Blanks were on hit short for completing the cycle.

Perhaps it was just the energy of the day- being at home in front of their fans made these guys play like a major league team. Or perhaps they took a good look at the kind of ball Colorado played and decided they wanted to emulate them.


Out of the 17 runs there we only two home runs that accounted for 5 of the runs. The rest came from the Padres doing what they failed to do on their first road trip- playing small ball, getting timely hits that move the runners either into scoring position or all the way home.

That is how you win ballgames.

You don't leave multiple men on base and squander scoring opportunities because each batter is trying to get that big hit. Pitcher Kevin Correia proved that even a bloop single- just feet behind the first baseman can produce runs and help lead to a win as opposed to a loss that should not have been.

So it was an exciting day yesterday- from the great street party behind the stadium to seeing friends I haven't seen since the 2009 season ended it was a perfect day for baseball and a hell of a way to start the season in our home field.

Hopefully that momentum will carry into Wednesday when we take on the Atlanta Braves again.

I just had to take a picture of the scoreboard-we watched Padres history yesterday and I hate to cast a shadow on anything but I doubt that we will see scores like this a lot this seaso0n...but then again miracles can happen...look at the 1969 Mets!




You can right click here for the game wrap up via the San Diego Padres website!