San Diego Padres vs Miami Marlins at Petco Park — July

The Miami Marlins visit Petco Park on July 24 in a series that provides the backdrop for summer baseball at its most atmospheric. The Marlins are a franchise in ongoing evolution — young talent, a new financial commitment, and a club that has used every mechanism available to a small-market team to remain competitive. At Petco Park in late July, they visit a stadium and a fan base that is fully engaged in the pennant race. The NL West in late July separates real contenders from teams that were competing earlier in the year, and the Padres faithful show up for a July Friday knowing the next 50 games will define the season. Petco's upper deck on a July evening — the bay visible, the Coronado Bridge catching the last light, the ballpark at full attendance — is one of the most beautiful environments in American sports. The Marlins are the opponent. The setting is the reason.