The Padres returned to the playoffs in their second year in Petco Park with a distinctive caveat: No team had won its division with a worse winning percentage than their 82-80 record in 2005.
They continued to trend in the wrong direction the following year until ripping off a nine-game winning streak — extended on this date, May 8, in 2006 — when Chris Young outdueled the Cubs’ Greg Maddux in an 8-3 win at Petco Park.
The streak immediately followed a five-game skid that dropped San Diego a season-worst seven games under .500. It included three walk-off wins and only ended when the Milwaukee Brewers scratched together a two-out, 10th inning rally to put an end to what was the Padres’ longest winning streak in seven years.