By Liz Alper

Photo:  National Ice Cream Day at Petco Park.  Courtesy @Padres on Twitter

July 17, 2016 (San Diego) - It's that day again, folks.  Sweep day.  Do the Padres finally break the curse?  Surprise:  they did.  And they did it in a dramatic way.  The kind of dramatic that's way more dramtic than it should've been.  Not the good kind of dramatic.

By Liz Alper

Photo courtesy @SFGiants on Twitter

July 15, 2016 (San Diego) - Rejoice!  Baseball is back!  The Padres started the second half of the season against the NL West rival San Francisco Giants.  Madison Bumgarner took the mound for the Giants against Andrew Cashner.

By Liz Alper

Photo courtesy @Padres on Twitter.

July 12, 2016 (San Diego) - The atmosphere at Petco Park for the 2016 All-Star Game was electric, and rightly so; what a show it was.

By Liz Alper

Photo courtesy @Padres on Twitter

July 10, 2016 (Los Angeles) – The Padres won’t be able to get a nice four-game sweep before the All-Star break, but they did have the chance for a clean split.  Christian Friedrich started on the hill against Kenta Maeda—the Japanese phenom who gave the Padres such a headache in that opening series--for the Dodgers. 

By Liz Alper

Photo courtesy @Padres on Twitter

July 9, 2016 (Los Angeles) - Last night’s game was too chaotic and the Padres lost.  Hopefully, they’d win tonight with Luis Perdomo on the mound against Brandon McCarthy.

By Liz Alper

Photo courtesy @Padres on Twitter

July 7, 2016 (Los Angeles) - After (finally!) a series win against the Diamondbacks, the Padres traveled back to California to take on the NL West rival Dodgers in a four-game series before the All-Star break.  Drew Pomeranz started for San Diego against the recently activated Hyun-Jin Ryu for the Dodgers.

By Liz Alper

Photo courtesy @Padres on Twitter

July 5, 2016 (Phoenix) – The Padres celebrated Independence Day with a four-run win over the Diamondbacks.  They looked to get two in a row today with Christian Friedrich on the mound against Zack Godley for Arizona.

By Liz Alper

Photo:  the Chair of Honor was awarded to prisoners of war and soldiers that are missing-in-action for their service this Fourth of July weekend.  Courtesy @Padres on Twitter

July 3, 2016 (San Diego) – Over there, over there, send the word, send the word over there, that the Yanks are coming, the Yanks are coming, the drums rum-tumming everywhere…the Pads and Yanks finished up their series on the eve of the Fourth of July and it’s almost like they wanted me to open this recap by singing Over There with this scheduling.  Andrew Cashner, recently reinstated from the DL, started for the Padres today against Chad Green for New York.

By Liz Alper

Photo:  Travis Jankowski and Matt Kemp strategize before the game.  Courtesy @Padres on Twitter

July 2, 2016 (San Diego) – The Padres narrowly escaped the jaws of a comeback defeat against the Yankees last night.  Their job tonight was to come away with the win at a much larger margin.  Ivan Nova started on the hill for the Bombers against Drew Pomeranz for the Padres.

By Liz Alper

Photo courtesy @Padres on Twitter

June 29, 2016 (San Diego) - After a colossal beating by the blackbirds last night, the Padres looked to rebound this afternoon.  Yovani Gallardo started on the hill for Baltimore against Christian Friedrich for San Diego.

By Liz Alper

Photo:  the Padres and SDG&E recognize teachers as part of Homeruns for Homerooms before the game.  Courtesy @Padres on Twitter

June 28, 2016 (San Diego) – Remember those black birds from last week?  They’re back!  And so is Padres baseball!  The Orioles flew into San Diego for another two-game series against the Padres.  Ubaldo Jimenez started on the mound for Baltimore against Erik Johnson for the Padres.

By Liz Alper

Photo courtesy @Padres on Twitter

June 25, 2016 (Cincinnati) – The Padres and Reds got a nationally televised game three today.  What a treat!  It was also Pete Rose’s retirement ceremony (his number will be retired tomorrow), but considering that the Padres have won the last two games in this series decidedly, I don’t think they need any gambling help.  Drew Pomeranz started for San Diego against Brandon Finnegan for Cincy.

By Liz Alper

Photo:  red everywhere.  Courtesy @Padres on Twitter

June 23, 2016 (Cincinnati) - After failing to sweep (again), the Padres traveled west to the Great American Ballpark and back to the National League to face the Cincinnati Reds for the first time this season in a four-game weekend series.  Christian Friedrich started on the mound for San Diego against John Lamb for Cincinnati.

By Liz Alper

Photo:  did you know that Babe Ruth was born right behind the center field wall at Camden Yards, or close to it?  Courtesy @Padres on Twitter

June 21, 2016 (Baltimore) – Good news:  Padres baseball is back.  The bad news:  it’s against the Orioles, who started the season undefeated, so no one has high expectations for this series.  Maybe some more good news (?):  this series is only for two games.  More bad news:  Luis Perdomo was starting tonight’s game against Tyler Wilson for Baltimore.

By Liz Alper

Photo:  some post-game catch with dads on Father’s Day.  Courtesy @Padres on Twitter

June 19, 2016 (San Diego) - Happy Father’s Day, dads!  This year, you get a decent pitching matchup on the Padres and Nationals matinee series finale.  But most of all, you get a Padres win.  Gio Gonzalez took the hill for Washington against Drew Pomeranz for San Diego.