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Richard, Padres hold off Royals

Jun 29, 2011 - 5:48 AM San Diego, CA (Sports Network) - Cameron Maybin finished 3-for-3 and scored twice, while Kyle Phillips posted the go-ahead RBI double as San Diego got past Kansas City, 4-2, in the second of a three-game interleague series.

Will Venable and Ryan Ludwick drove in a run each for the Padres, who have taken six of their last seven contests and clinched their third straight series win after winning the first two in this set.

Clayton Richard (4-9) allowed five hits and a pair of runs over seven innings, while fanning five. The left-hander won at home for the first time since August 24, going 0-8 with three no-decisions in that span.

Heath Bell closed the door in the ninth to earn his 22nd save.

Jeff Francoeur homered and Matt Treanor added an RBI for the Royals, who slid to their eighth loss in 10 games.

Felipe Paulino (0-2) was charged in defeat with 11 hits and four runs -- three earned -- despite seven strikeouts over seven innings.

The Padres picked up two runs in the bottom of the second to snap a 1-1 tie and move ahead for good.

Maybin beat out an infield single near the mound to begin the frame, then Phillips rapped a double to left which scored him for a 2-1 advantage. Richard sacrificed Phillips to third and Venable's fly to center brought him in for a 3-1 contest.

In the fourth, Maybin collected his second infield hit of the game, stole second and came home when Phillips lofted a fly to left and the Royals' Alex Gordon uncorked a wild attempt when trying to throw him out at third.

Richard made that edge hold up. He retired three in a row after a Wilson Betemit leadoff hit in the fifth, and managed to erase a Melky Cabrera sixth- inning leadoff single with a double play.

Though Francoeur homered to left with one down in the seventh, Betemit fanned and Treanor grounded out to keep it a two-run margin.

The Royals left a runner at third in the eighth and Bell walked Gordon with one out in the ninth, but left him stranded on third after striking out Betemit to end the contest.

Ludwick and Treanor traded RBI singles in the home first and road second, respectively.

Game Notes

Richard has won his last two starts after going winless in his previous six outings (0-5 with one no-decision)...San Diego has won five in a row over Kansas City since July, 2004, in the clubs' last meeting which was a three- game series in southern California...Paulino had been purchased by the Royals from the Rockies on May 26 after going 0-4 with a 7.36 ERA in 18 games.