Myers hits 450-foot HR as Padres roll

PHILADELPHIA -- For a second straight game, the Padres' offense started fast in Philadelphia. The difference on Sunday afternoon: They never stopped scoring.
San Diego snapped its six-game skid with a decisive 10-2 victory over the Phillies in Game 1 of Sunday's split doubleheader. It marked the first time since August 2015 that the Padres have scored at least three runs in the first inning of consecutive games.
In an 11-5 loss on Friday, starter Clayton Richard couldn't hold that early lead. Two days later, Tyson Ross wasn't particularly sharp either. But he escaped serious jams in the first, second and third innings, and he let the offense do the rest.
"Up and down the whole lineup, there was really good fight in every at-bat," said Padres manager Andy Green.
After Thursday's deal that sent Brad Hand to Cleveland, Ross is arguably the Padres' most noteworthy trade candidate. He did little to hurt his value, with five innings of two-run ball and five strikeouts. Ross was removed for a pinch-hitter during the Padres' three-run sixth.
"Even though it wasn't pretty, I was able to minimize the damage and make some pitches with guys in scoring position," Ross said. "It doesn't matter if it looks clean or not."

The San Diego offense featured a mostly balanced attack, led by former Phillie Freddy Galvis, who plated two in the first with a single and finished with three hits. This weekend marks Galvis' first trip back to Philadelphia since he was traded in December. He's 6-for-9 with four RBIs thus far in the road set.
Galvis was one of five Padres with at least two hits on Sunday. Wil Myers wasn't, but he crushed a monster two-run homer to center in the ninth. The 450-foot blast was the longest at Citizens Bank Park this season.
"I caught it on the barrel," Myers said. "Those are the balls you want to hit, staying through the middle. That was as good as you can hit a ball."
Through two games in the second half, the Padres' offense has clicked like it rarely did in the first. This weekend marks the first time San Diego has scored at least five runs in consecutive games since June 3-4.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Make 'em pay: The Padres led 4-2 in the sixth, when Christian Villanueva skyed a popup just beyond the infield. Phillies second baseman César Hernández retreated and appeared ready to make the catch. But in a bizarre sequence, he put his head down at the last moment and the ball caromed off his shoulder for an error. One run scored on the play, and two more would come across on Travis Jankowski's double later in the frame. All three were unearned.

Super Strahm: Hand may be in Cleveland, but the Padres still feel as though they have an elite lefty presence in their bullpen. Matt Strahm, a savvy acquisition at last year's non-waiver Trade Deadline, has been excellent this season. On Sunday, he pitched two scoreless frames, including a gutsy effort in the bottom of the seventh. Strahm, whose ERA dipped to 2.21 through Game 1, worked around an error by Villanueva. He stranded the bases loaded by punching out Aaron Altherr and getting Scott Kingery to pop up to second.

"He's going to pitch in all kinds of roles," Green said. "Hybrid long relief, like that, when you've got a lead and you're trying to protect it. I could see him in the seventh inning. I could see him in the eighth. I could see him in all kinds of different roles right now.
ASUAJE ON FIRE
Padres second baseman Carlos Asuaje was optioned to Triple-A El Paso in mid-May with a .193/.256/.284 slash line. Since his July 1 return, he's hitting .349/.463/.488, including two doubles and a sacrifice fly on Sunday afternoon.

"He's been great," Green said. "Every at-bat is a fight. No pitcher is getting him out easily. That's exciting to see."
Asuaje's doubles sparked rallies in the first and third innings, and he's seemingly found a niche in the No. 2 spot in the lineup against right-handers.
MITEL REPLAYS OF THE DAY
Both clubs had first-inning runs hold up following replay reviews. In the top of the frame, Hunter Renfroe was ruled safe on a close play at the plate on Galvis' two-run single. In the bottom half, Rhys Hoskins' solo homer was touched by a fan, but replays couldn't determine whether interference occurred in the field of play. Both calls were close. Neither featured enough evidence to be overturned.