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Peavy pitches Padres past Astros

Jul 28, 2007 - 4:43 AM By Gene Duffey PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

HOUSTON (Ticker) - San Diego Padres righthander Jake Peavy, who hadn't won since June 19, finally earned his 10th win of the season Friday night against the Houston Astros.

After four losses and a no-decision in his last five starts, Peavy pitched seven innings, limiting the Astros to four hits and one run in a 9-4 victory.

Peavy had a skimpy 1.17 ERA for his previous three outings against the Astros and did not allow a hit in this one until Carlos Lee doubled in the fourth.

"Jake and Darren (Balsley, the pitching coach) worked on a couple mechanical adjustments," San Diego manager Bud Black said. "He stayed a little taller over the rubber, and that created a better angle with a little more of a downhill plane. His sinker had a little more sink to it."

Houston touched Peavy for a run in the first inning with three consecutive singles, Lee driving in his 84th run of the season.

"The first inning was key," Black said of Peavy giving up only one run. "His confidence sort of soared (after that)."

With one out and runners on first and third, Peavy struck out Mike Lamb and Luke Scott to escape the inning.

"It was big being able to strike out Lamb there," Peavy said. "He's a good hitter.

"It made a big difference throwing the ball down hill," Peavy said of the mechanical adjustment. "I just needed to stay conscious of it. Stay behind and on top of the ball. It was a long wait (for that 10th win). I've been upset my team's been losing on that fifth day. Three of those four losses were quality starts. I didn't feel like I was getting it handed to me."

Peavy retired 12 of the last 13 batters he faced, walking Jason Lane with outs in the seventh.

"With those good guys if you don't break through early, you're going to let them get into a groove," Houston manager Phil Garner said. "That's what he did, and he just got stronger."

Peavy (10-5) had received just five runs of support in those last five starts. He made sure that didn't happen again Friday. He singled in San Diego's first run in the second inning off Woody Williams, his former teammate and Brian Giles followed with another single to make it 2-1 Padres.

"That was a big turning point for me, to have a good at-bat," Peavy said of the first of his two singles in the game. "I got lucky and got a single."

"You know when you get a few runs, you feel pretty confident with him on the mound," added Giles.

Peavy struck out eight and walked two, throwing 111 pitches.

"He just had a good effort all night," Black said. "He worked pretty hard."

Milton Bradley, acquired June 29 from Oakland, hit his fourth homer as a Padre to lead off the third inning to give San Diego a two-run lead. It was the 23rd homer allowed by Williams this season, most in the National League.

Williams (5-12) had pitched his best game of the season last Sunday, when he shut out Pittsburgh for eight innings in a 1-0 win. Williams had been 4-0 lifetime with a 2.25 ERA against the Padres before Friday.

He worked six innings Friday, allowing five runs on eight hits, striking out four and walking two.

"I think I should have only given up one run tonight," Williams said. "I feel my performance was a little better than the outcome. I know early in the season I wasn't at my best, but tonight didn't bounce my way."

Padres catcher Josh Bard, Williams' former battery mate, agreed.

"We didn't hit many balls hard (off him)," Bard said. "We were very fortunate. We could have scored (only) one run. It's always hard (facing him), because Woody's one of the top five teammates I've had."

The Padres added two runs in the sixth on a single by Adrian Gonzalez, a double by Bard, a bloop single by rookie Kevin Kouzmanoff that scored Gonzalez and a sacrifice fly by Geoff Blum, a former Astro.

"It was good to see from the offensive standpoint to get some hits with runners in scoring position," Black said. "We got some two-out hits, which is something we hadn't done lately."

Blum drove in two runs and scored one and Giles drove in three.

"Blum's been playing very well since the All-Star break," Black said. "He's been getting on base and he's a solid defender."

Houston's Craig Biggio reached on an infield single in the eighth, the 3,020th hit of his career, tying Rafael Palmeiro for 23rd on the all-time list.