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Maddux, Padres defeat Pirates

Sep 19, 2007 - 6:25 AM By Tim Powers PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

SAN DIEGO (Ticker) - Greg Maddux finally issued a walk, but still managed to help the San Diego Padres' playoff chances.

Maddux (13-10) tossed five effective innings to help the Padres hold ground in the playoff hunt with a 5-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday.

The win kept San Diego (83-67) within one game of first-place Arizona (85-67) in the National League West standings, and maintained a 1 1/2 game lead over the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL wild card standings.

Khalil Greene added a pair of hits and drove in two runs for the Padres, who have won five straight to tie a season high.

"This is the end of the season, and I think it's important, obviously, to play well consistently," Greene said. "The team that we're chasing is playing well, and the team that's right behind us is playing well. It's imperative for us just to play good baseball and hopefully come out with a win."

The future Hall-of-Famer Maddux walked Jason Bay in the third, snapping a streak of 59 2/3 innings (244 batters) without issuing a free pass - the second longest such streak in his career, and second longest in club history.

That baserunner proved to be inconsequential, as the 41-year-old veteran escaped the inning unscathed, but did surrender three runs on the night as he notched his 346th career victory.

"Streaks are cool and all that, but right now it's about what do we need to do to get to the playoffs," Maddux said. "We're in the middle of a pennant race. Our offense won it tonight and our bullpen held it. Sometimes you can get too much credit for winning a game."

Cla Meredith and Doug Brocail combined for three scoreless innings before Trevor Hoffman came on in the ninth to convert his 38th save in 44 chances and 521st of his career.

"We've played well since we got off the road," Padres manager Bud Black said. "It's been good starting pitching. Greg hung in there tonight. We got some timely hitting there early in the game and made it hold up."

Xavier Nady belted his 18th home run of the season and had three hits for the Pirates, who have lost four straight.

Pittsburgh took an early lead against Maddux, plating two in the first inning on run-scoring hits from Bay and Nady.

The Padres answered in the bottom half of the frame against Pittsburgh starter Tom Gorzelanny (14-8), pushing three runs across to take the lead for good.

"(San Diego) is not a club that you want to be playing catch up against on too much of a regular basis," Pirates manager Jim Tracy said. "They've got the people in the middle (of the bullpen) and the people at the back end that can put you away."

Gorzelanny had won five of six decisions, but yielded four runs on nine hits in this one. The 25-year-old lefthander lasted five innings, walking four and striking out four.