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Peavy strong, Hairston sparks Padres past Braves

Jul 12, 2008 - 5:42 AM By Tim Powers PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

SAN DIEGO (Ticker) -- Jake Peavy tossed seven scoreless innings and Scott Hairston had a pair of hits and scored two runs to help the San Diego Padres post a 4-0 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Friday.

The struggling Padres, who had lost 17 of 22 coming in, leaned on their ace and he came up big.

Peavy (7-5) allowed four hits en route to his second straight win, which was his second in seven career starts vs. the Braves. The reigning National League Cy Young Award winner struck out seven and walked one.

The Padres (36-57) have the third-worst mark in baseball, and Peavy know he represents their best shot to win every time he takes the hill.

"I've got to be that guy, and I understand that I have to be as upbeat as I can," Peavy said. "It's been a tough year, I think everybody in our clubhouse will tell you. I need to be a guy that this team can count on to give a quality effort every fifth day."

Peavy, who spent nearly a month on the disabled list with a strained elbow, has not allowed a run in his last 14 innings.

"What I liked today, was I thought (Peavy) did a good job of changing speeds," Padres manager Bud Black said. "The more that he can do that, I think it will be effective."

Heath Bell worked a scoreless eighth before Mike Adams allowed two hits in the ninth to set up a save situation for Trevor Hoffman.

Hoffman, the all-time saves leader, struck out Brent Lillibridge to convert his 17th in 20 chances and secure San Diego's first win over Atlanta this season. Lillibridge was starting in place of shortsop Yunel Escobar, who was scratched with a strained left shoulder.

Hairston helped provide what little support Peavy needed, as he tripled to lead off the game against Jo-Jo Reyes, and scored on a groundout by Edgar Gonzalez for a 1-0 lead. The red-hot Hairston, who has gone 17-for-34 with six doubles, a triple and five home runs in his last 11 games, doubled and scored on Adrian Gonzalez's single in the third to push the lead to 2-0.

"I think it was very important to score a couple of runs in the first couple of innings," Hairston said. "Jake was great tonight. That was all we needed, really. He's been dominant his last couple of starts and it has been a big lift for us."

Reyes (3-8) lasted four innings and suffered his fourth consecutive loss. The 23-year-old lefthander allowed two runs and five hits with one strikeout and one walk.

"(Reyes) struggled tonight," Cox said. "He's still learning, we still love him, and he's going to be a good one. He just gave up a lot of leadoff doubles tonight."

San Diego tacked on a pair of insurance runs in the sixth against Buddy Carlyle when pinch-hitter Jody Gerut's single skipped past left fielder Gregor Blanco. Adrian Gonzalez and Kevin Kouzmanoff scored on the play for a 4-0 lead.

Brian McCann collected a three hits for the Braves, who have dropped three of four. Chipper Jones snapped an 0-for-10 skid with a single in the sixth inning, but is hitting .210 (4-for-19) with one home run in his last five games. Jones still leads baseball with a .373 average.

"With my struggles offensively, we need somebody to swing the bat," Jones said. "(McCann) is swinging the bat pretty good, but other than that, it's slim pickings."