first pitch: 5:05 p.m., PT
television: Channel 4SD
matchup: Chris Young (6-3, 3.27 ERA) vs Kevin Millwood (8-3, 4.47 ERA)
previews: Padres.com | SI.com | ESPN

Was it fair or foul? Looked foul to me and the umpires. I love this photo of Mark Teixeira. In his defense, it is very difficult to kick a field goal with the wind swirling like it was Tuesday night.

A lot of interesting subplots to this series. Rangers closer Akinori Otsuka — with the blessing of his friend and mentor, Trevor Hoffman — is using “Hell’s Bells” as his entrance song. It’s no secret that I’m a huge Aki fan, but man, I do not want to hear that. How about some “Music Box Dancer” instead?

The Dallas Star-Telegram has a nice little piece on ex-Ranger Adrian Gonzalez. With his upper-tank blast to right in the second inning of Tuesday’s contest (yes, he can pull the ball with authority), Gonzalez takes over the team lead with 10 homers. Manager Bruce Bochy, responding to the question of what to do when Ryan Klesko returns from the DL, says of Gonzalez:

There’s no way to take him out of the lineup right now. We gave him the opportunity to show what he can do, and he’s showing it.

Got that right.

On another note, the TV guys were saying during Tuesday night’s broadcast that in addition to Mike Cameron and Eric Young, Josh Barfield and Mark Bellhorn are expected to see some time in the leadoff spot while Dave Roberts is on the DL.

As they were at this time last year, the Padres find themselves in first place. Interestingly, despite the inferior record this season, their run differential is a tick better than it was exactly one year ago.

Game 2 tonight. Kevin Millwood goes for the Rangers. Here’s something I don’t understand: Millwood is 8-3 with a 4.47 ERA and 5.54 runs scored per game behind him; Jason Jennings is 6-6 with a 4.02 ERA and 5.45 runs scored per game behind him. Yet another way in which baseball is a funny game.

Chris Young gets the nod for the Padres. Brian Hiro writes about Young in the North County Times, noting the advantages of Petco Park over Ameriquest Field for a pitcher. The fascinating thing to me is that Young hasn’t done any better at Petco this year (4.23 ERA) than he did at Ameriquest last year (4.35 ERA).

Also, Young is still 6’10″ and plays a mean cowbell. Go Padres!