Padres benefiting from Green's lineup changes

Bill Center, longtime sportswriter for U-T San Diego, is an employee of the Padres.
Padres manager Andy Green has had great success this season kickstarting slumping hitters with a change in lineup positioning.
For example, Yangervis Solarte was in a 6-for-44 slump (.136) with two doubles and one RBI over a 13-game span while hitting fourth in the Padres lineup when Green decided to move him into the No. 2 slot on May 23.
Solarte responded by going 15-for-44 (.341) over the next 10 games with two doubles, a homer, seven walks, six RBIs and four runs scored. Eventually, Solarte was moved back to the No. 4 slot.
Jose Pirela was inserted into the leadoff slot shortly after joining the Padres and was 28-for-95 (.295) in the No. 1 slot with a .343 on-base percentage. He had nine doubles, a triple and three homers for 12 RBIs in that spot in the order.

With Wil Myers in a 1-for-19 -- with 12 strikeouts -- drought over his last five starts in his customary No. 3 spot in the Padres' batting order, Green moved him up to the leadoff spot Friday night in Philadelphia.
Myers' response -- 3-for-4 with his 16th double and 10th stolen base.
Pirela, meanwhile, hit a 450-foot homer out of Myers' normal No. 3 slot.
Myers will again hit in the leadoff slot Saturday afternoon in Philadelphia while Pirela hits third.
News and notes
• Brandon Maurer's stats during his active run of 13 straight successful conversions bears repeating. During the 13-save run, Maurer has worked 12 innings. He has not allowed a run in those 12 innings while giving up only two hits and a walk with 10 strikeouts. He struck out the side in a perfect ninth inning Friday night in Philadelphia.

• Austin Hedges' first multi-homer game Friday was the sixth by a Padre this season. The other five were by Manuel Margot (April 7), Hunter Renfroe (June 6), Cory Spangenberg (June 11), Franchy Cordero (June 13) and Solarte (June 17).

• Clayton Richard gave up one run on five hits over six innings Friday night. He has allowed two earned runs or fewer in each of his four career starts at Citizens Bank Park. Richard has a career 2.53 earned run average in South Philadelphia.

• Spangenberg was 1-for-4 Friday night and scored the game-winning run. Spangenberg has hit safely in 11 of his last 13 games, going 12-for-45 (.267) with a homer, a double, four runs scored and eight RBIs.