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Hairston blasts two homers as Padres edge Giants

Aug 4, 2007 - 6:58 AM By Tim Powers PA Sportsticker Contributing Writer

SAN DIEGO (Ticker) -- Barry Bonds was held homerless, but the same cannot be said for Scott Hairston.

Hairston blasted a walk-off homer in the 10th inning - his second of the game - to lift the San Diego Padres to a 4-3 triumph over the San Francisco Giants on Friday in the opener of a three-game series.

The 27-year-old Hairston, who was acquired last Friday from the Arizona Diamondbacks, sent a 3-2 offering from Giants reliever Jack Taschner (2-1) over the left-center field wall for his fifth home run of the season.

"I wasn't sure (it was a home run) off the bat, but I was just hoping," Hairston said. "I saw the left fielder drifting back there, and I saw him jump up, and I didn't know whether he caught it. I looked at the umpire, and he signaled home run, and as soon as he did that, everything was golden."

"Every game is important, and when a guy like Scotty steps in and does what he did tonight, it's great for the club," Padres manager Bud Black said. "It's great for Scotty to feel like he feels now. These types of things make guys feel comfortable in their new surroundings." Bonds lost the battle of future Hall of Famers, going hitless in three at-bats against Padre starter Greg Maddux.

Maddux has surrendered eight of Bonds' 754 career homers - tied with four others for the most by an opposing pitcher - but none since 1998, when Maddux was a member of the Atlanta Braves. The 41-year-old righthander struck out Bonds in the first inning before inducing a groundout and flyout in the slugger's next two trips to the plate.

"I think it's kind of cool," Maddux said of facing Bonds with the prospect of serving up a record-tying home run on the line. "I mean, I like the game, too. I actually kind of enjoyed it. You don't really pitch under those conditions too often. (Bonds) has been the best in the game ever since I've been in it."

Bonds grounded out again in the eighth against San Diego reliever Kevin Cameron before Fred Lewis replaced him in left field.

Heath Bell (5-3) collected the win after pitching a scoreless 10th inning.

Hairston's first home run as a Padre, a three-run shot in the eighth inning, ruined a strong outing by Giants starter Matt Cain.

Cain held the Padres scoreless for the first seven innings. But the 22-year-old righthander surrendered a leadoff single to Geoff Blum in the eighth and, after getting Pedro Feliz to pop out, Cain was chased by Rob Mackowiak's double to right field.

Vinnie Chulk entered and got Mike Cameron to pop out to first. But Hairston hammered Chulk's first offering into the left-center field stands to tie the game at 3-3.

"(Cain) was making some mistakes," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "He was getting the ball up, and they were hitting it pretty good. We were close to getting out of that inning, but Vinnie made a mistake."

Cain, who took a no-hitter into the seventh in his last appearance at Petco Park, yielded two runs and five hits with a season-high 11 strikeouts in 7 1/3 innings. He is now winless in his last five starts.

The Giants started the scoring in the third inning, when Dave Roberts doubled and scored on a groundout by Ray Durham. The 35-year-old speedster - who had four hits - added to the lead in the seventh, smacking a two-run double down the right field line that opened up a 3-0 advantage and knocked Maddux out of the game.

Maddux allowed three runs and eight hits in 6 1/3 innings. The 22-year veteran recorded three strikeouts without a walk and still has not lost to San Francisco since 2003.