With their 9-2 demolition of the Rockies on Thursday afternoon, the Padres increased their lead in the National League Wild Card race to four games over the Diamondbacks. The Padres have won 10 of 11 and went 6-1 on their road trip through San Francisco and Colorado. In the process, they’ve made up some major ground in that Wild Card race -- now only one game back of the Cubs and Phillies for the top two Wild Card spots. “We took care of business on the trip,” said Padres manager Craig Stammen. “We looked at this part of the schedule, knew we had to play well. … Good for us to end this road trip on a really high note, heading back home in a really good spot.” Indeed they are. Here are some takeaways from Coors Field: **Why the four-game Wild Card lead is a big deal** San Diego and Arizona are slated to finish the regular season with a three-game series next weekend at Petco Park. So long as the Padres can maintain their four-game cushion (or grow it), they’ll ensure that they clinch before that series begins. Easier said than done, of course. The Padres play three-game sets vs. the Marlins (Friday-Sunday) and Dodgers (starting Tuesday) before the Diamondbacks arrive. The Marlins have already proven how pesky they are, taking two of three this week in Arizona. Los Angeles, meanwhile, will likely be playing to secure a first-round bye.
