There are some in the Padres organization who believe Nick Hundley will develop into the club's catcher of the future, even if the 24-year-old was hitting only .232 with 12 homers at Triple-A Portland.

But Hundley, the Padres' second-round pick in 2005 out of the University of Arizona, was rapidly improving at Portland. And the feeling in the organization was that a full season at Portland might make Hundley major league ready by the start of the 2009 season.

The timetable was dramatically moved forward Wednesday when Michael Barrett fouled a ball off his face in Denver.

With No. 1 catcher Josh Bard already on the disabled list through at least the All-Star break with a high ankle sprain and Barrett now out for up to six weeks, the Padres had no option than to promote Hundley sooner than hoped.

Hundley made his major league debut Friday night in Arizona as the fifth catcher employed by the Padres this season -- Bard, Barrett, Colt Morton, Luke Carlin and Hundley.

Hundley and Carlin opened the season as Triple-A Portland's two catchers.

Not only did Hundley get his first hit Friday night, he also tagged out a runner at the plate on a perfect throw from left field by another recent call-up (Chase Headley).

Working up to the standards of the catchers who have preceded him shouldn't be that difficult. On the season, the Padres' catchers are hitting a combined .187 (58-for-310) with two homers and 19 RBI in 86 games. And rival runners have stolen 107 bases on the Padres.

PADRES 5, DIAMONDBACKS 1: RHP Cha Seung Baek pitched 5 1/3 scoreless innings and threw a shutout over six innings Friday to become the Padres' first starting pitcher to record a victory since Jake Peavy won No. 5 on June 12. The victory was only the Padres' third in their last 18 games.

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