SAN DIEGO–The Padres return home Tuesday for the fourth homestand of the season, featuring the first visit to San Diego by the Minnesota Twins in six years, followed by a four-game series with the Chicago Cubs. Highlights of the homestand include a Padres Brownout and a weekend celebration of the 30th Anniversary of the 1984 National League Champion Padres.
Home action begins Tuesday, with a 7:10 p.m. start against the Twins. Prior to the game, the club will highlight the service and sacrifice of San Diego first responders. Tuesday’s pregame ceremony will recognize and celebrate the achievement of departmental service award winners from the San Diego Police Department, the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, San Diego Fire-Rescue, and the Chula Vista Police Department.
Back by popular demand, every Tuesday home game will feature $1 pollo asado street tacos sold at six locations throughout the ballpark. New this year, an additional location features gluten-free $1 street tacos.
Also Tuesday, 2014 Miss California USA Cassandra Kunze, a junior at San Diego State University, will throw the Ceremonial First Pitch.
The 6:10 p.m. start time for Wednesday’s game.
Thursday’s series opener against the Cubs marks the start of a four-game celebration of the 30th Anniversary of the 1984 National League Champion Padres. All fans are encouraged to get into the spirit of the weekend by dressing in their favorite ’80s attire.
Prior to the game, San Diego Chargers linebacker Melvin Ingram will throw the Ceremonial First Pitch.
Thursday is also College Night presented by Mission Federal Credit Union, featuring special ticket discounts for college students with a valid student ID ($10 in Right Field Upper Reserved College Night section). A DJ from Channel 93.3 will be spinning at the Budweiser Patio in Right Field from 6:00 p.m. until the conclusion of the game. For more information on the remaining College Night events, visit www.padres.com/college.
Continuing the retro theme, Friday is a Padres Brownout, when all fans should reach for their throwback gear to help us color Petco Park Padres brown. Prior to the game on Friday, the Padres will mark the 30th Anniversary of the 1984 NL Championship with a Ceremonial First Pitch by several returning alumni players.
In addition Friday, alumni players Terry Kennedy and Kurt Bevacqua (*subject to change) will be signing autographs for fans at the Padres Team Store in the Western Metal Supply Co. Building from 5:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. The autograph signing is free and open to the public.
All fans in attendance at Saturday’s game will receive a Padres replica retro jersey presented by FOX Sports San Diego.
Prior to Saturday’s game, the Padres and Cymer will honor the Padres Foundation’s featured homestand charity partner, Naval Special Warfare Family Foundation, in a special pregame ceremony. The Padres Foundation, in partnership with Cymer, will present the NSWF Foundation with a $5,000 donation.
The homestand wraps up on Sunday with the series finale against the Cubs. The first 25,000 fans in attendance will receive a pair of Knockaround Sunglasses, presented by San Diego’s own Knockaround.
Sunday’s Military Salute will be the fifth of 13 Military Appreciation Sunday games this season. To kick off pregame ceremonies, a custom-painted 2014 Mustang GT500 will drive around the warning track. The vehicle, which is part of the Wounded Warriors Family Support High Five Tour, is embarking on a 26,000 mile journey that will crisscross the United States in order to raise awareness and $1 million in donations. The funds will go toward building smart homes for two wounded warriors in San Diego, in partnership with the Gary Sinise Foundation.
Also Sunday, the U.S. Navy Parachute Team, also known as the “Leap Frogs,” will return to Petco Park after a dramatic display on Opening Night. They will once again conduct an aerial demonstration and landing in the outfield.
Fifty Marines from 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment out of 29 Palms will be honored on the field during Sunday’s pregame ceremonies. The battalion has been conducting back-to-back combat deployments since the invasion of Iraq in 2003 and at the end of this month, “3/4” will be “casing the colors” and deactivating.
Also in attendance on Sunday will be several hundred Marine recruits from 3rd Battalion’s Kilo Company, Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego. These recruits have endured three months of rigorous recruit training, also referred to as “boot camp,” and are one week away from graduation and earning the title of U.S. Marine.
Sunday’s National Anthem will be performed by deployed Marine 1st Lt. Skye Martin via live satellite feed from Afghanistan. 1st Lt. Martin is based out of Camp Pendleton and currently deployed with Regional Command Southwest. Also Sunday, God Bless America will be performed during the 7th inning break by Petty Officer Nirissa Holder from Naval Medical Center San Diego.
Prior to all Sunday home games, from 11:30 a.m. to noon, two Padres players will sign autographs at the Park at the Park for Jr. Padres Sunday Signings. A Jr. Padres membership is required to participate in the signing event. Membership is free, and kids can sign up online or in-person on the day of the event.
KidsFest at the Park returns Sunday, featuring bounce houses and other inflatables, games, face painters, balloon artists, and more kid-friendly activities.
