The Padres started off their seven-game road trip on a positive note by winning a series against the lowly Chicago Cubs. The Padres then traveled to Atlanta to take on the Braves. San Diego got off to a good start in the series by winning the opening game but ended the set with three straight losses. 

The Friars won the first game of the series behind the right arm of young Jesse Hahn. Hahn was optioned to the minors right before the All-Star game, but returned to the majors with a vengeance. Hahn gave up just one run in his six innings of work, routinely putting his jaw-dropping curve on display. San Diego grabbed the lead in the first inning on an RBI single from Tommy Medica. In the fifth inning, the Padres scored a pair of runs on an RBI single from Chris Denorfia and a sacrifice fly from Yangervis Solarte. Joaquin Benoit pitched a scoreless ninth for his second save of the season, 

In game two, the Padres sent Odrisamer Despaigne to the mound, in hopes of recapturing the magic he displayed in his last start. In that game, Despaigne took a no-hitter into the seventh inning. In Saturday's game, the magic ran out. 

Despaigne turned in his worst outing of his very brief Major League career, and the Padres lost game two by the score of 5-3. Despaigne's location was non-existent -- he could not throw strikes consistently, and the Padres made three errors behind him .

San Diego actually took a 2-1 lead in the fourth inning on a two-run double by Yasmani Grandal. However, the Braves scored four runs in the bottom half of the inning to snag the lead. Despaigne walked the first two hitters of the inning, before allowing an RBI single to Evan Gattis. The Padres made two errors in the inning, both throwing errors by Despaigne and Yangervis Solarte. 

The Friars sent Eric Stults to the mound in game three, hoping that the veteran lefty could turn things around. Unfortunately, the Braves battered the southpaw, and won easily, 8-3. Again, the Padres jumped out to the early lead on a solo home run by Yangervis Solarte, his first as a Padre. In the bottom of the third inning, the Braves put up a six-spot to crush Stults. Oy. The Braves had three doubles and six hits in the inning alone. Stults finished with another ugly line: Six innings, six earned runs and five strikeouts. 

In game four, the Padres scratched originally scheduled starter Ian Kennedy and brought up former outfielder Jason Lane to make the start. At 37 years-old, Lane became the oldest Padre to make their first Major League start. Lane rewarded the Padres with six quality innings, but the Padres were shutout 2-0.

Lane used his high 80's fastball and curve to keep the Braves offense off-balance, but the offense could manage just five hits, one of those hits came from Lane (his first since 2007) but the Padres could never make a dent against Braves starter Ervin Santana. 

The Braves took the lead in the sixth inning when Evan Gattis took Lane deep, for what turned out to be the game-winning hit. The Braves scored another run in the bottom of the eighth. 

San Diego finished their seven-game road trip with a 3-4 record. The team will return home for a seven-game homestand Tuesday. First up on the schedule will be a three-game series with the St. Louis Cardinals.