ST. LOUIS -- Six weeks ago, the Padres paid
Opposing pitchers have done their best to work around Machado, who has taken seven walks in those five games. He’s been more than happy to pass the baton, particularly with the rest of the Padres' offense coming to life.\n\n“It's going to take all 25 of us to win,” said Machado. “I'm not going to carry the team by myself, or Hoz, or \\[Ian Kinsler\\]. It's going to take all of us.”\n\nFor all the patience he’s shown, Machado has still made opposing pitchers pay for two pitches that weren’t eminently hittable. Machado’s first homer came on Wednesday when Matt Andriese threw a fastball four inches off the inside corner. Then he got to Miller on Saturday.
“I tried to throw one below the zone,” Miller said. “He went down and got it. Great hitter.”\n\nIn the early innings, the Padres couldn’t break through against St. Louis starter
Hedges’ homer came after
“It wasn’t my A-plus game today,” Paddack said. “But I did learn a lot.”\n\nIt may not have been his \"A-plus\" game, but Paddack still allowed only one run, and it was unearned. The Cardinals had serious trouble squaring him up, but they still made him work, fouling off 29 of his 89 pitches. Paddack’s changeup, one of the best putaway pitches in the Minor Leagues over the past few seasons, induced only three swinging strikes and 11 fouls.\n\n“It was a battle for Paddack today,” Green said. “We have tons of confidence in him, I think everyone in the organization does. It was just one of those days where they fouled off a lot of his pitches, and there was probably a little less attack early on than he could have had with his fastball.”\n\n**Quotable**\n\nSan Diego’s 6-3 start is its best since 2009. Hedges, who was drafted in ‘11, has been in the organization longer than any other player, and he summed up the first nine games of the season rather succinctly:\n\n“It’s incredible,” he said. “Everything about this club is something that I’m not used to, but I could definitely get used to.”\n\nSurely, Padres fans everywhere are nodding in agreement.
**Tidbits**\n\n•