Chase Headley's line-drive single to right-center in the third inning Thursday night eventually could be remembered as one of the more significant hits of the Padres' season.
The two-out, two-run hit immediately followed an intentional walk to Adrian Gonzalez. Although it was only the third inning, Gonzalez had come to the plate with the Mets protecting a two-run lead and with runners on second and third. Last year, Gonzalez had 119 RBIs to rank third in the National League. The total also represented 19.3 percent of all the runs the Padres scored, which was the highest percentage in the majors.
That fact wasn't lost on the Mets -- or the Dodgers, who routinely pitched around Gonzalez (four semi-intentional walks in runner-in-scoring-position situations in four games) in the season-opening series.
Against the Dodgers, Kevin Kouzmanoff failed hitting behind Gonzalez after each of the four walks. Last week, with Kouzmanoff off to a 1-for-7 RISP start, Padres manager Bud Black flip-flopped the third baseman and Headley in the fifth and sixth spots.
And Thursday night, Headley came through after Gonzalez had been walked. It should also be noted that Kouzmanoff followed with a run-scoring single. Headley is now 2-for-4 in RISP situations, Kouzmanoff 2-for-11.
PADRES 6, METS 5: The Padres had their biggest inning of the young season, a five-run third highlighted by four run-scoring singles -- bailing Jake Peavy out of a 3-0 deficit -- then held on to take the first series at Citi Field. Heath Bell struck out Carlos Delgado looking for the final out for his fifth save, becoming the first closer in Padres history to have five saves in the first 10 games of a season.
