Frustrating loss at SBC, yes, but also some signs of hope. Still, it would be good to see the Pads get their act together soon.

We could dwell on the negatives from last night’s game:

• David Wells caught too much of the plate too often, spotting the Giants a 4-0 lead after three.
• Ramon Hernandez didn’t block the plate on Jay Payton’s terrific throw that almost nailed Jeffrey Hammonds in the first.
• Third base coach Rob Picciolo held Hernandez at third on Khalil Greene’s booming double to left-center that Marquis Grissom mishandled in the fifth.
• Bruce Bochy sent Wells up to the plate immediately following Greene’s double. Wells promptly struck out on three pitches, and the Padres again failed to score with two runners in scoring position and less than two outs.
• No clutch hits again through the first eight innings. Minimal production from the heart of the order.

Okay, that’s a lot of negatives. I’ll grant that. But some good must have come of this, right? Sure, it did:

• Wells battled back after a terrible start and worked six innings. He kept his club in the game and preserved the bullpen, which could pay dividends later in this four-game series.
• Antonio Osuna, the only reliever used by the Pads, pitched two solid innings. This is encouraging because (a) he was effective, (b) it was the first time this season he’d worked a second inning, and (c) he helped save the rest of the ‘pen.
• The Padres darned near came back from a three-run deficit in the ninth for the second straight game. Giants’ manager Felipe Alou had to use five relievers last night, three in the ninth alone. Give me Phil Nevin against Jim Brower with a runner in scoring position any day of the week. It doesn’t always work out, but you have to like your chances.

This is going to be an interesting series. None of the Giant relievers threw more than 15 pitches in the first game, but using five guys out of the bullpen last night could create problems for the Giants toward the end of the week.

Meantime, the Padre pitchers need to avoid the big inning early in the game. The heart of the order needs to do some damage before the ninth. And the Padres need to find some good left-handed options off the bench so we don’t see Kerry Robinson and Terrence Long get into the game as pinch-hitters while Brian Buchanan sits and waits for a southpaw.

In Other News

• First victory at home brings relief to Beavers (Oregonian). Xavier Nady and Tagg Bozied are hurt. Nady injured his ankle yesterday, Bozied is on the DL with a bad hammy.
• Padres Notebook: Team eyes Weaver with top draft pick (NC Times). Obligatory Jered Weaver coverage. Also, Tim Stauffer had his second straight good outing at Elsinore; he’s likely not long for the Cal League. Finally, find out where some former Padres are now.
• Fewer HRs but more runs for Padres in first 9 games (U-T). A closer look at the first homestand in the new digs.

Brian Lawrence and Dustin Hermanson, 7:15 tonight, Channel 4. A win would be real nice…