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Hairston's walk-off blast lifts Padres to sixth straight win

Sep 20, 2007 - 6:10 AM SAN DIEGO (Ticker) -- Scott Hairston hit a three-run, walk-off home run as the San Diego Padres won their sixth straight game, a 5-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday night.

With the win, the Padres (84-67) remained just one game behind the Arizona Diamondbacks (86-67) in the National League West Division. San Diego also extended its lead to 2 1/2 games over the Philadelphia Phillies (82-70) in the NL wild card race.

As the Padres trailed, 3-2, in the ninth, Adrian Gonzalez doubled with one out off Pirates closer Matt Capps. After Brady Clark was called in to pinch run, Khalil Greene flew out to center field for the second out of the inning.

Capps walked the next batter, Kevin Kouzmanoff, before giving up the three-run blast to Hairston, his eighth of the season.

"I was just looking for something over the plate, really," Hairston said. "I was just hoping he would give me something to handle. In that situation, you've got to make contact, and I was able to get the ball up in the air."

"(Hairston) has made a couple of big swings since he's been here," Padres manager Bud Black said. "That was a good win, needless to say, as far as the contributions from a lot of people. One big swing at the end of the game made it go our way."

Capps (4-7) - who was brought in with two outs in the eighth - pitched one inning, allowing three runs and two hits while striking out one, failing to preserve the win for starter Ian Snell.

"It just wasn't the right pitch. I went against every instinct I ever had," Capps said. "I got beat with something that wasn't my best pitch and I let everybody in here down."

Cla Meredith (5-6) picked up the win after keeping the Padres in the game with a perfect top of the ninth inning.

The Padres struggled to get any offense off Snell, who pitched seven strong innings and retired the last eight batters he faced. Snell surrendered just two runs - one earned - and four hits. The righthander struck out five and walked two but remains winless since September 3.

San Diego held a one-run lead until the third inning. Cesar Izturis led off with a single off Padres starter Chris Young before being thrown out at second on a bunt by Snell.

After Nyjer Morgan was hit by a pitch, Nate McLouth picked up his second RBI of the game, driving in Snell with a game-tying double to right field.

The next batter, Freddy Sanchez, gave the Pirates a 3-2 lead, plating Morgan with a sacrifice fly to center.

"We tried to do the best we could with the offense we were able to get from them," Pirates manager Jim Tracy said. "We were trying to make two sacrifice flies and a double by Nate McLouth stand up, and we were one out away from getting it done."

Young pitched well but did not get the support he needed for a victory. He allowed three runs and five hits in six innings, striking out two while walking five.

"Just from a comfort level, I feel good out there," Young said. "I'm able to throw the fastball where I want. I'm not struggling physically. I thought three of the five hits they got tonight were on pretty good pitches. Sometimes you tip your hat."

Pittsburgh opened the scoring in the first inning. After Morgan led off the game with a triple, McLouth lifted a sacrifice fly to center, giving the Pirates a 1-0 lead just two batters into the game.

The Padres took a 2-1 edge in the bottom of the inning when Gonzalez drove in Mike Cameron and Brian Giles with a single to left field.

Giles doubled to lead off the frame and advanced to third on a passed ball. After Cameron walked and stole second, Gonzalez stroked a line-drive base hit into left, putting San Diego ahead.