The Tucson Padres aren't contending for any division titles. They aren't headed to the playoffs and they won't post a .500 season.
Don't tell any of them that.
With a Sunday doubleheader sweep over Tacoma, Tucson secured just its second nonlosing month in team history.
They enter the final day of July with a 42-67 record in the month after an 11-8 loss to the Rainiers Monday night at Kino Stadium.
The only other time the Padres posted a nonlosing month was July 2011.
The team has doubled its win total (seven) from the first month of the season and is over .500 since the All-Star break earlier this month.
Manager Terry Kennedy's squad also isn't in last place in the Pacific Coast League for the first time since May.
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Here's how they've made their recent surge:
Pitching, pitching, pitching
• Nuts and bolts: Kennedy's go-to crew of relievers of Cory Burns, Josh Spence, Erik Hamren, Miles Mikolas and Nick Vincent have given up seven earned runs total in July. Burns, Spence and Vincent haven't given up any in the month.
But, it hasn't just been the relievers. The Padres, for the first time this season, are receiving consistent starting pitching. Colt Hynes and Bear Bay, two pitchers who joined the rotation mid-year, have been stellar lately. Hynes hasn't given up more than two earned runs in a start since June; Bay hasn't given up more than three since July 3.
• The big number: 14: Burns, the former Arizona Wildcats reliever, hasn't given up an earned run in his last 14 appearances.
• He said it: "We have a lot of arms in our bullpen that can get it done. Burns has been so fun to watch, and Hamren, too. Our starters have gone deeper, it's kept us fresher and we're playing better because of all that." - Spence
The new-aged Bash Brothers
• Nuts and bolts: So, Bash Brothers may be overdoing it a little, but Jedd Gyorko and Matt Clark have given Kennedy the three-four combination in his lineup he's been looking for all season.
Gyorko has 17 home runs and 60 RBIs in 66 games since joining Tucson in May. Clark has been nearly as good. Since batting .169 in April, the first baseman has hit at least .280 in each of the next three months.
He hammered a three-run home run Monday night in the first inning and a solo shot in the third, giving him 20 for the season and 100 in his professional career.
• The big number: 41: The two sluggers have combined for 41 RBIs this month to go along with 15 home runs.
• Quotable: "Those two big boys in the middle of our lineup have really helped us lately. Both guys can beat you and change a game with their power." - Kennedy
Familiar faces
• Nuts and bolts: Kennedy said one of the biggest reasons for the recent success is the continuity that's developing between his players.
For the first time since early in the year, the Padres are healthy and aren't having as much roster turnover. The manager said players are more sure of themselves, because they know, for the most part, when and where they're going to play.
It's also true on the pitching side with four of the team's five starters entrenched in the rotation since June.
• The big number: 32: The team has just 32 transactions this month after 49 in June.
• Quotable: "We're all comfortable with each other here. I think we have a really good lineup, and our arms are solid. This is how we felt like it should have been all year." - Clark.
Tacoma 11, Tucson 8
Tacoma ab r h bi Tucson ab r h bi
Ford cf 6 1 1 0 Robertsn cf 3 2 2 0
Rodriguez 2b 3 2 1 0 Parrino ss 5 0 1 2
Smoak 1b 5 1 1 1 Hermida rf 5 1 2 2
Jimenez dh 5 1 2 1 Clark dh 4 2 2 4
Liddl 3b 4 2 2 0 Belnome 1b 5 0 0 0
Wilson rf 5 2 3 2 Merchn 3b 4 0 1 0
Triunfel ss 4 1 1 1 Contrers 2b 4 1 1 0
Quiroz c 5 1 1 3 Tekotte lf 4 0 1 0
Savastano lf 4 0 3 1 Gale c 4 2 1 0
Totals 42 11 15 9 Totals 38 8 11 8
Tacoma 000 009 101 - 11
Tucson 321 200 000 - 8
E: Truinfel, Belnome, Hermida. DP: Padres 1. LOB: Tacoma 8, Padres 6. 2B: Savastano, Quiroz, Liddi, Wilson, Merchan, Hermida. HR: Clark 2(20). SB: Liddi, Tekotte.
Tacoma IP H R ER BB SO
Ramirez 3 1/3 9 8 7 1 2
Sweeney W, 5-3 2 1 0 0 1 3
Moran 1 2/3 1 0 0 0 3
Capps S, 2 2/3 0 0 0 0 1
Tucson
Palmer 5 1/3 7 6 5 2 6
Ray L, 1-2 1/3 1 3 0 1 1
Mikolas 2 1/3 4 1 1 0 2
Vincent 1 3 1 1 0 1
WP: Ray. Time: 3:29. Attendance: 1,836.
Today
• Who: Tacoma at Padres
• When: 7:05 p.m.
• Radio: 1600-AM
¡Tus Padres!
Tacoma 11, Tucson 8
• Highlight: Tacoma scored nine runs in the sixth inning to overcome an 8-0 hole and top Tucson in the fourth game of a five-game set. Every hitter in Tacoma's lineup had at least one hit and six drove in at least one run. Former Tucson catcher Guillermo Quiroz had a three-run double for Tacoma.
• Big number: 100: Tucson first baseman Matt Clark hit two home runs in the loss, giving him 100 for his professional career, which began in 2008.
• Tonight's starters: RHP D.J. Mitchell, Tacoma (0-1, 1.80 ERA); LHP Colt Hynes, Tucson (5-8, 6.05 ERA).
