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Haren overcomes slow start as Diamondbacks rally past Padres

Jul 31, 2008 - 6:30 AM By Tim Powers PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

SAN DIEGO (Ticker) -- Dan Haren pitched seven solid innings and the Arizona Diamondbacks put together a four-run fifth to overtake the San Diego Padres in a 7-3 triumph in the rubber game of a three-game series on Wednesday.

Haren, who entered the game with a National League best 2.56 ERA, overcame a two-run first in which he yielded a leadoff home run to Jody Gerut. Haren recovered to yield three runs on seven hits en route to his third consecutive victory. The 27-year-old righthander struck out six and walked one.

Jon Rauch contributed a scoreless eighth and Tony Pena worked a perfect ninth to secure Arizona's seventh win in its last 10 games.

"I was disappointed with the way it started," Haren said. "I felt a little flat in the beginning, and left some pitches in the middle of the plate. It got better as the game went along. I made some adjustments and we were able to fight back. That was a great win for us."

Mark Reynolds and Chris Snyder hit back-to-back home runs in the eighth against Bryan Corey to pad the advantage to 7-3. It was the third set of back-to-back homers for the Diamondbacks this season.

"We're playing good, we're playing the way we should be playing," Snyder said. "We're playing aggressive, guys are running, we're putting guys in motion, guys looking to take the extra bag. That's the way we have to play. That's the way we're going to be successful."

Baek (2-6) exited after 4 1/3 innings, allowing five runs - four earned - on eight hits. The 28-year-old Korean righthander struck out five and walked one.

"(Baek) got some balls up that inning," Padres manager Bud Black said. "Cha Seung can get away with some pitches up, but they've got to be above the strike zone. He's got to stay down, and elevate when he wants to. I think some balls were intended to be down, he just didn't get them down."

Adrian Gonzalez had two hits for the Padres, who had won four of five.

"We put a little pressure on (Haren) early," Black said. "He might not have been totally on top of his game. He sort of got it together in the middle innings and showed why he's the pitcher that he is."

Chad Tracy's two-run single in the fifth was the big blow as the Diamondbacks pushed across four runs, taking advantage of two errors by the Padres in the inning, and chased Baek from the game.

"We've got to do a better job and we've got to play better defense, myself included," Padres catcher Josh Bard said. "The defense got away from us a little bit in that inning, and that can come back and bite you in the (rear)."

Alex Romero and Chris Young doubled in the frame as Arizona rallied from a 3-1 deficit to go on top 5-3.

"We're playing better on the road, swinging the bats better," Melvin said. "All the way around, it seems like are games are a lot cleaner. We're taking advantage of some miscues on the other side, which we haven't been very good at. It seems like we're playing better across the board."