It was one of the more telling stats from a dismal season. When trailing after seven innings in 2008, the Padres were 5-83.
After four days of the 2009 season, the Padres have already rallied for two come-from-behind wins with late-game, three-run innings. On Thursday afternoon at Petco Park, the Padres scored three runs in the bottom of the eighth to overcome a 3-1 Dodgers lead and defeat Los Angeles to earn a split in the clubs' four-game, season-opening series.
On Tuesday night, the Padres scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth to defeat the Dodgers 4-2.
This is not to say the Padres are off to a flying start. The two, three-run innings represent more than half the runs scored by San Diego in four games.
And as Adrian Gonzalez approached the plate with one out in the bottom of the eighth, the Padres were hitting a collective .155 (17-for-110), and they were 3-for-26 with runners in scoring position.
Starting with Gonzalez's first homer of the season, the Padres hit for the cycle in the eighth.
PADRES 4, DODGERS 3: San Diego had only three hits through 7 1/3 innings and was behind 3-1. Then Adrian Gonzalez hit a solo homer. An out later, Edgar Gonzalez hit the first triple of his career, Nick Hundley singled and Luis Rodriguez doubled to put the Padres ahead.
