SAN FRANCISCO _ Wil Myers, a supremely gifted baseball player, has appeared in 487 major league games, but only once has he homered in three straight. He unlocked the achievement Sunday in a 5-2 victory over San Francisco, in a year that has seen the Padres first baseman fall mostly short of expectations, in a season with plenty left on the schedule.
Sixty-four games remain, ample opportunity for a strong finish. After flailing his way to a golden sombrero Monday at Coors Field, Myers closed the Padres' latest road trip with a flourish.
In the top of the first, Giants left-hander Ty Blach threw a full-count change-up. Myers fouled it off. Blach threw another change-up. Myers smashed a 453-foot drive into the left-field stands.
The solo shot made Myers just the second opponent to hit five or more home runs in a season at AT&T Park. (Nolan Arenado hit six in 2015.) He became the fourth player, visiting or not, to homer in three consecutive games at AT&T Park since 2010.
"One of the big things is actually wanting to come here and play," Myers said. "Last year, I kind of dreaded coming here. It's a pitchers' ballpark, and they have great pitchers. But one thing I did this year was just really get excited to play here. That's the mindset that you've got to have."
Myers' 20th home run of the season gave the Padres an early lead. Dinelson Lamet promptly relinquished it in the bottom of the first. The rookie pitcher rebounded to complete 6 2/3 innings of two-run ball, a highly welcome effort after a string of bullpen-taxing contests.
"I was trying to get as deep into the game as possible and do it as efficiently as possible," Lamet, who threw 63 of 94 pitches for strikes, said through an interpreter. "Use as few pitches, knowing I could help the team a lot by doing so."
In the top of the fourth, Myers drew a one-out walk. Hunter Renfroe, Jabari Blash and Hector Sanchez all doubled in succession. An RBI single by Cory Spangenberg extended his hitting streak to eight games and gave the Padres a 5-1 lead.
The Giants scored a run with a pair of two-out hits in the bottom of the inning, but Lamet contained subsequent uprisings. In total, he allowed eight hits and a walk, and struck out eight.
Myers' big swing and the fourth-inning team effort proved sufficient. Three San Diego relievers combined to record the final seven outs.
The Padres improved to 9-4 against the Giants this season, and have won all four of the teams' head-to-head series.