Cease reaches 1,000 career K's as Padres regain top WC spot

SAN FRANCISCO -- For a period of time this summer, Dylan Cease was the most dominant pitcher in baseball. His three-start stretch beginning in mid-July was one of the most dominant in recent memory.

In the time since that run -- which included a no-hitter in Washington, and two other scoreless outings in which he allowed just one hit -- Cease hasn’t been poor. He’s been just fine.

But with the postseason looming less than three weeks away and the Padres in the midst of a ferocious National League Wild Card race, it would certainly be an opportune time for Dominant Dylan Cease to return to the top of the San Diego rotation.

He looked the part on Friday.

Cease was excellent across six scoreless innings in the Padres’ 5-0 victory over the Giants at Oracle Park. He allowed just four hits while striking out 10 -- with the third of those 10 strikeouts marking the 1,000th of Cease’s career.

(In a fun coincidence, the only three pitchers to reach 1,000 K’s in fewer innings than Cease’s 830 1/3 were all in the building Friday -- Cease’s rotation mate Yu Darvish, and a pair of Giants lefties, Robbie Ray and Blake Snell.)

The victory -- coupled with Arizona’s loss to Milwaukee -- moved the Padres back into the top spot in the NL Wild Card race. They hold a half-game advantage on the D-backs. Meanwhile, the Braves and Mets each won. San Diego currently sits 1 1/2 games up on New York and 2 1/2 on Atlanta.