In what is becoming a theme of sorts, the Padres once again came back from a late inning defecit to win at home. I can tell it’s becoming a theme because with the Expos ahead 4-2 going to the bottom of the eighth, I just kind of expected the Pads to at least tie the game. That old helpless feeling I’ve grown used to over the past few years simply wasn’t there.

Sure enough, thanks to some timely hitting and hustle (not to mention a blown call by the first base umpire), the Pads surged ahead and hung onto win, 5-4. Trevor Hoffman worked a scoreless ninth for his fifth save and second in as many nights.

A few thoughts:

• For the second straight start, Adam Eaton pitched better than his final line would indicate. Last time he was one Bruce Bochy decision and subsequent bad pitch away from a stellar night. This time Eaton was beaten by an Andy Fox homer combined with a slew of worm-beaters. Not to make excuses for Eaton, but if you haven’t been watching him pitch and are only looking at the numbers, you’re missing a lot. The combined line from those two games isn’t real pretty: 12.2 IP, 19 H, 8 ER, 2 HR, 1 BB, 8 SO, 5.68 ERA. But his stuff and location for the most part have been solid. He’s made bad pitches to Fox and Richie Sexson, and given up some well placed hits. No cause for alarm. It’ll even out over the season. It did seem that Bochy might have pulled Eaton a little early last night, but maybe his (relatively) high pitch counts in previous starts played a role.
• Outstanding work from the bullpen. I still don’t know how Scott Linebrink was ever placed on waivers last year. Antonio Osuna looked as good as I’ve seen him in a Padre uniform. His velocity was solid, as always. But he was locating the fastball and slider. Very encouraging.
• Sean Burroughs is in a mini-slump right now. Earlier in the season he was serving everything into left and left-center. Pitchers are starting to pound him inside with fastballs and he’s a little late turning on them. But he’s getting close. Burroughs drove a couple pretty decent flies to right off Claudio Vargas last night that on pitches that just got in on his hands. If Burroughs can get around on those just a shade quicker and pitchers continue to work him inside, we could see a power barrage. The ball he hit in the fifth took right fielder Val Pascucci to the track, and Burroughs was pretty much jammed by the pitch.
• Brian Giles and Phil Nevin both went deep. Giles finally cracked .200 (he’s currently at .208/.347/.377). Why he ever sees a fastball inner half for a strike is beyond me, but we’ll take it. Nevin’s shot was a trademark job to right-center. Good to see that. One of my concerns about the dimensions of Petco was that it might take Nevin away from his natural stroke and encourage him to become more pull-conscious. Now that he’s seen that it’s possible to drive the ball out to right-center, maybe he’ll feel more comfortable continuing to hit the ball that way.
• Even though he’s been scuffling at the plate, I am beginning to really like Jay Payton. We’ve talked about his defense. Last night his hustle on the basepaths played a key role.On a slow roller toward second, Payton ran hard all the way down the line and was called safe at first (replays showed that the throw actually beat him, but the fact that he made it so close certainly put pressure on first base umpire Marty Foster). This drove in the first run of the eighth, to pull the Pads to within one. The next batter, Ramon Hernandez, hits a chopper back to the pitcher. With Hernandez chugging down the line, I’m figuring it’s an inning-ending double play and the Pads will have to wait till the ninth to pull this one out. But Payton, hustling all the way, cleans out Orlando Cabrera, who gets absolutely nothing on the throw. Hernandez just beats the relay, scoring pinch-runner Kerry Robinson. Tie game. Khalil Greene follows with a triple to right-center to score Hernandez.
• Hoffman worked some nice sequences in the ninth. Jose Vidro singled with one out, but otherwise Hoffman was in command. Brad Wilkerson looked silly chasing change-ups. Wilkerson is a good big-league hitter, but his whole front side was open before the ball even got to him. Even if he makes contact, the ball bounces harmlessly off his front foot. Vintage Hoffman.

Final game of the series tonight at Petco. David Wells vs Tomo Ohka. Usual time, usual channel. Enjoy…