|
 But he can't.
Fifty-nine games into the season, Gyorko was batting .162 with five
homers and 29 RBIs in 204 at-bats. Then his situation got worse. A
bout of plantar fasciitis in his left foot sidelined him for 44
games.
But in his third game back from the disabled list Wednesday, the San
Diego Padres' sophomore second baseman had three hits, including a
solo homer and three-run double, as the Padres routed St. Louis 12-1
at Petco Park.
In three games since returning to the lineup, Gyorko is 6-for-11
with a double, a homer and five RBIs to raise his average to .181.
"My approach right now is to get off to a fast start and don't think
about what happened before," Gyorko said. "I have two months left. I
don't want to keep going over what happened before."
That seems to be the mantra for all of the Padres (48-59).
Going into the All-Star break, the Padres ranked last in the
National League in runs scored. In 12 games since the break, the
Padres lead the National League with 59 runs scored.
Gyorko wasn't the only Padre with a homer and four RBIs Wednesday.
Right fielder Will Venable had the exact same totals -- marking the
first time since July 20, 2011, that the Padres had multiple players
with four or more RBIs in the same game.
The beneficiary of the Padres' 16-hit attack -- highlighted by an
eight-run seventh inning -- was rookie right-hander Jesse Hahn, who
celebrated his 25th birthday by holding the Cardinals (56-50) to one
run on four hits over seven innings to win his third straight
decision. Hahn is 7-2 with a 2.01 ERA in nine starts.
"It feels great to get a win on my birthday," he said.
Third baseman Yangervis Solarte had four hits and Gyorko and center
fielder Alexi Amarista each had three hits.
Solarte drove in two runs, giving him at least one RBI in seven of
his first eight games as a Padre. Amarista scored three runs.
"We need the guys to continue to click like they have since the
All-Star break," Padres manager Bud Black said.
The Padres took a 4-1 lead into the bottom of the seventh. They then
sent 12 hitters to the plate to seal a second straight win over the
Cardinals.
"That is probably our ugliest loss of the year," Cardinals manager
Mike Matheny said.
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While the Cardinals struggled to solve the offspeed offerings of Hahn, the
Padres scored four runs in five innings against right-handed St. Louis
starter Joe Kelly (2-2). Kelly allowed four runs on seven hits and a
walk in five innings.
Amarista's speed played a role in San Diego's first two runs. After
reaching first on a forceout in the first, Amarista moved to second on
Kelly's two-out walk to catcher Yasmani Grandal and stole third before
scoring on a single by Solarte. Amarista doubled to left with one out in
the third, moved to third on a groundout to the right side and scored on
a Kelly wild pitch.
Gyorko homered with one out in the fourth. The 371-foot drive to left
was Gyorko's sixth of the season and his first since he hit two on May
9. First baseman Yonder Alonso followed Gyorko with the first triple of
his career into the left-field corner. Venable singled Alonso home.
After the Cardinals scored their lone run in the top of the seventh, the
Padres had their eight-run inning capped by Gyorko's three-run double
and Venable's three-run homer two hitters later.
NOTES: The Cardinals acquired RHP Justin Masterson, 29, from the
Cleveland Indians on Wednesday in exchange for Double-A OF James Ramsey.
Masterson was 4-6 with a 5.51 ERA in 19 starts for Cleveland. ... To
create a spot for Masterson on the 40-man roster, the Cardinals
transferred RHP Michael Wacha from the 15-day to 60-day disabled list.
... Masterson is scheduled to make his Cardinals debut Saturday against
Milwaukee. ... Padres disabled RHP Andrew Cashner threw a bullpen
session Wednesday and could begin a minor league rehab assignment next
week. ... RHP Ian Kennedy's oblique has improved and he is scheduled to
make his start on Saturday.
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reserved.]
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