SAN DIEGO -- The Padres spent the offseason wondering what might happen if Christian Villanueva were given regular opportunities in the big leagues. They probably couldn't have envisioned this.
Villanueva went deep three times Tuesday night, sending the Padres to their first win of the season, an 8-4 victory over the Rockies. The 26-year-old third baseman has long been lauded for his power potential, but he was an unlikely candidate for this particular trip to the record books. Villanueva joined Bobby Estalella and Jarrett Parker as the only players in history with three-homer games in their first 14 career appearances.