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Kouzmanoff's 10th-inning homer gives Padres win over Giants

Jun 27, 2007 - 6:45 AM SAN FRANCISCO (Ticker) -- Kevin Kouzmanoff's 10th-inning homer provided the San Diego Padres a 3-2 victory over the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday in the second straight extra-inning game between the clubs.

After the Giants stranded two runners in the ninth when sidearmer Cla Meredith struck out Pedro Feliz, Kouzmanoff led off the 10th by drilling a first-pitch fastball from Randy Messenger (0-1) over the center field wall for his sixth homer of the season and second in eight games.

Giants center fielder Dave Roberts made a leaping attempt at the wall, but the ball just got over his outstretched glove.

"It felt pretty good off the bat, but I thought it had a chance to be caught because it was so low," Kouzmanoff said. "At first I thought the center fielder caught it, but I saw him come down it felt good that it went over the fence."

"Without stating the obvious, that was a big home run," San Diego manager Bud Black said. "That ball was driven. That wasn't a fly ball, that ball was hit on a line."

Barry Bonds, who is seven homers shy of breaking Hank Aaron's all-time record, singled and walked three times for the Giants, who saw their modest three-game winning streak snapped.

With two runners on and two out, Meredith (3-5) recorded a key strikeout against Pedro Feliz, who hit the game-winner in the 11th in Monday's 5-4 triumph. Trevor Hoffman then worked around a two-out single in the ninth to Roberts, who was thrown out at second base by newly acquired catcher Michael Barrett for his 20th save in 22 chances and 500th as a Padre.

"It's exciting because it shows longevity within an organization in this day and age of player free agency," said Hoffman, who admitted to some 2004 ALCS flashbacks with Roberts at first base. "He got a big stolen base against the Yankees in postseason so you're aware he's looking to get into scoring position with two outs to be able to score."

"Yeah, Dave was on his own in that situation," San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy said. "When you're in that situation facing one of the best closers in the game, you're trying to get to second base. That's what he does, that's what he does well. They executed. They threw him out."

Feliz delivered the game-winning single in the 11th inning in Monday's 5-4 triumph.

Padres starter David Wells' bid for his fourth win of the season ended in the eighth when Roberts lined a single to center field against Scott Linebrink with two outs in the eighth to tie the contest at 2-2. The inning was set up by an infield hit by Kevin Frandsen and a bloop single by Mark Sweeney.

Wells yielded just a run and six hits in six innings, while Giants starter Barry Zito gave up deep solo home runs to Mike Cameron in the second and Khalil Greene in the seventh that provided a 2-1 lead.

"It wasn't like they were crushing it right out of the shoot," Wells said. "Got out of them is the thing, with minimal damage. You do that and I think it's a good sign. You keep your team in the ballgame."

Zito departed after eight innings, allowing two runs and six hits in eight innings. However, the zany lefthander drew plenty of boos after failing to lay down sacrifice bunts in the fourth and sixth innings.

"I give up two home runs and don't get two bunts down in a pivotal part of the game. I'm disgusted with that," Zito said.

Bengie Molina's two-out single in the first inning gave the Giants a 1-0 lead, but Wells settled down after the 28-pitch frame and worked out of trouble all night.

San Francisco stranded eight runners through four innings, as Wells twice escaped bases-loaded jams, getting Feliz to fly out to end the first and got a big assist from center fielder Cameron on a deep fly ball to left-center to squash a threat in the fourth.

Cameron led off the second with a solo blast to left-center for his second home run of the series and fourth in his last eight games.