Padres Finally Catch Up To Hamilton In HR Race

Josh Hamilton, the league’s most proficient home run hitter this season, no longer has a lead on the league’s least proficient home run-hitting team.

San Diego Padres’ catcher Nick Hundley hit a solo homer in the team’s 11-5 victory over the New York Mets on Thursday. It was the Padres’ 18th on the year as a team, equaling the total of Hamilton, who (it’s worth noting) is currently in a bit of a power drought.

As Gerry Fraley of the Dallas Morning News points out today, Hamilton hasn’t hit a home run in his last 11 games (39 at-bats), which stands as his longest homer-less drought since the late summer of last year. That streak lasted 20 games.

Even considering the power drought, Hamilton enters Friday night’s series opener with Toronto with some impressive numbers. He’s hitting .379 with (as you might remember) 18 home runs, a .429 on-base percentage and a .758 slugging percentage.