The Padres, unwittingly and bats-unwillingly, have become a colorized version of the early 1960s television show “Home Run Derby.”
The purpose of the program was simple and singular, as reinforced by the catchphrase: “It’s a home run or nothing here on ‘Home Run Derby.’ ”
That’s the Padres, baseball’s leader in piling up the largest percentage of their runs on long balls — and one of the most maddening when the moment calls for situational hitting.
That was the Padres again Wednesday, penning yet another all-or-nothing chapter in a season filled with both penthouse and offensive outhouse during a 7-5, come-from-ahead loss to the Phillies at Petco Park.