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Headley's two-run double gives Padres win, sweep

Apr 19, 2010 - 12:36 AM By BERNIE WILSON AP Sports Writer

SAN DIEGO(AP) -- Chase Headley and the San Diego Padres seem to play their best when they're behind in the late innings.

Headley hit a go-ahead, two-run double with two outs in the seventh and the San Diego Padres rallied for five runs to beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 5-3 Sunday for their first sweep of the season.

On Friday night, Headley hit a three-run homer with two outs in the ninth to lift the Padres to a 6-4 win.

"That's one thing about this club, we're going to give it our all for nine innings," Headley said. "It can be a grind sometimes to start the game, but you're going to have to give us 27 outs. Tonight we were able to get one that we were behind in."

Arizona manager A.J. Hinch watched his bullpen blow another game.

"It takes 27 outs, not 21, not 24," Hinch said. "It's no fun down there right now. It's going to take some resilience from us to get through this."

It was Arizona's season-high fourth straight loss.

The Padres tied the game at 2 in the seventh thanks to the Hairston brothers. Scott Hairston greeted reliever Aaron Heilman (0-1) with a leadoff homer to left and older brother Jerry Jr. doubled over left fielder Conor Jackson's head to bring in Everth Cabrera, who singled with two outs and stole second.

After Adrian Gonzalez was intentionally walked, Headley doubled into the left-center gap to bring in Hairston and Gonzalez for a 4-2 lead. Headley took third when shortstop Tony Abreu went to throw home and ended up spiking the ball into the dirt, with it dribbling away for an error. With no one covering home, Headley scored.

"Coming around second I thought there might be a play at the plate so I'm going to keep going, and if they cut it and try get me out, at least the run scores," said Headley, who's hit safely in 11 of 12 games. "I don't know if he saw me and kind of didn't know what to do or if the runner was going to score and he wanted to hold onto it and he just spiked it. Fortunately there was no one there so I kept going."

The Padres "had some good at-bats," Hinch said. "When you have the lead, it's pretty gut-wrenching not to finish. We've been ahead. Now, we have to find a way to close out."

The Padres had gone 1-2 in each of their first three series, including a season-opening, three-game set at Arizona, before getting this sweep.

"I think it reaffirms that we believe we're a good team," Headley said. "I know nobody believes us, but we really feel like we're a good team and I feel like we can win a lot of games if we keep improving, guys make adjustments, and we move on."

Reliever Edward Mujica (1-1) pitched two innings for the win. He allowed Mark Reynolds' homer into the first row of the second deck in left field leading off the seventh for a 2-0 Arizona lead. It was Reynolds' fourth homer

Heath Bell pitched the ninth for his third save in three chances.

Heilman allowed three runs and three hits in two-thirds of an inning. Padres relievers have retired 38 of their past 42 batters.

Reynolds also hit a two-out RBI single in the first off left-hander Wade LeBlanc, who was recalled from Triple-A Portland to make the start in place of Chris Young, who's on the disabled list with tightness in his right shoulder.

LeBlanc struck out seven in five innings, allowing one run and seven hits. He walked two.

Arizona starter Ian Kennedy also struck out seven, holding San Diego to two hits in five scoreless innings. He walked three.

"We got ahead early, and that's all a pitcher can ask," Kennedy said.

Stephen Drew hit an RBI double for the Diamondbacks in the ninth.

NOTES: Kennedy got his first major league hit, a single up the middle with two outs in the second. ... Arizona manager A.J. Hinch said Kris Benson pitched well enough in Saturday's 5-0 loss to San Diego to earn the start on Friday night against Philadelphia. The right-hander was recalled from Triple-A Reno and made just his third big league start since 2006, allowing two runs and six hits in six innings. ... Arizona's Adam LaRoche missed his fourth straight start with a sore right quadriceps. He struck out as a pinch-hitter to end the game. ... Padres manager Bud Black said Young probably will throw a bullpen session sometime this week. ... To make room on the roster for LeBlanc, RHP Adam Russell was optioned to the Beavers. Russell pitched 4 1-3 scoreless innings in three relief appearances with the Padres.