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 "It was a nice looking piece of wood," said the Padres first
baseman.
So Medica confiscated the bat with Yasmani Grandal's name on it and
used it to hit a pair of two-run homers Friday night en route to the
first five-hit game of his career.
"It's a big piece of wood," Medica said of the 35-inch, 32-ounce bat
that has a new home in his locker. "Usually I swing a 34/31, which
is shorter and lighter. For some reason, that bat caught my eye."
"I'm taking credit," said Grandal. "He didn't even ask me if he
could use it. He just started swinging it."
Medica got the Padres started. But he was far from the only Padre
swinging Friday night.
The Padres got a season-high 20 hits -- equaling their most ever in
a game over 10 2/3 seasons at Petco Park -- in a 10-1 rout of the
Atlanta Braves.
Medica, who had four hits exactly one week ago against the Braves in
Atlanta, led the charge, going 5-for-5 with the two homers, four
RBIs and four runs scored. He also stole a base.
 Shortstop Everth Cabrera had four singles in five at-bats with a RBI
and two runs scored. Third baseman Chris Nelson had three hits. And
right fielder Will Venable had two hits in as many at-bats.
The Padres, who finished the first half of the season last in most
National League offensive categories -- including runs scored --
lead the league in runs scored since the All-Star break. And they
are hitting .321 (45-for-140) for the first four games of their
current homestand and have scored 27 runs in 33 innings.
"It was a great night for Tommy, a great night for our offense,"
said Padres manager Bud Black, whose team raised its team batting
average nine points to .223 since the All-Star break.
Medica's two homers off Braves left-handed starter Mike Minor
propelled the Padres to a 5-0 lead after three innings. He is the
28th Padre to have a two-homer game at Petco Park. No Padre has ever
had a three-homer game at Petco Park.
Medica's fifth and sixth homers of the season came in the first and
third innings.
Cabrera opened the first with a single and scored when Medica
lasered a 1-and-1 fastball from Minor 373 feet into the lower deck
in left.
"I think he wanted to get that pitch in and it ran over the plate,"
said Medica.
Cabrera again led off the third with a single. But this time he was
sacrificed to second on a bunt from left fielder Yangervis Solarte
and scored on a double by second baseman Jedd Gyorko.
Medica followed Gyorko with a 473-foot bomb that landed half-way up
the second deck in left.
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"That was on a slider," said Medica.
Meanwhile, Padres left-handed starter Eric Stults (4-13) allowed one
unearned run on two hits and four walks in 6 1/3 innings. Stults, who
lost 10 of his last 11 decisions, retired the first nine Braves he faced
before right fielder dropped a fly hit by center fielder B.J. Upton on
the warning track for a two-base error.
Third baseman Chris Johnson singled past Gyorko later in the inning,
driving in Upton with the Braves only run.
After homering in his first two at-bats, Medica, who raised his average
25 points with the 5-for-5, singled in the fifth, seventh and eighth
innings. The Padres scored five runs on 10 hits in their last three
innings against the Braves bullpen.
Medica threw salt in the wound when he stole third in the fifth inning
without a pitch being thrown.
"Minor had the ball with his back to me and Johnson was back at third,"
said Medica. "No one was holding at second. I just started walking then
took off."
Minor (4-7), who defeated the Padres last Sunday in Atlanta, gave up
five runs on nine hits and a walk in five innings.
"He didn't get to his curve until it was too late," Atlanta manager
Fredi Gonzalez said of Minor. "He was throwing fastballs, cutters and
changes and they were all coming back over the middle of the plate".
NOTES: Trade acquisitions INF/OF Emilio Bonifacio and LHP James Russell
reported to the Braves, forcing other moves. LHP Chasen Shreve was
optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett and OF Jordan Schafer was designated for
assignment. RHP Gavin Floyd was transferred from the 15-day to 60-day
disabled list. ... OF Abraham Almonte reported to the Padres and
immediately started in center field. The switch-hitting was acquired
from Seattle in exchange for OF Chris Denorfia. ... INF/OF Alexi
Amarista got a day off after playing every inning in 26 straight games.
... The Padres only other 20-hit game at Petco Park came on April 29,
2005.
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reserved.]
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