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Padres outlast Cubs in extra innings

Apr 18, 2007 - 1:03 AM CHICAGO (Ticker) -- On a day when Greg Maddux started against his former team, it was the bullpens that were the big story.

Geoff Blum's RBI double in the 14th inning gave the San Diego Padres a 4-3 victory over the Chicago Cubs in a game that saw both lineups stifled by relief pitching.

Blum's game-winning hit delivered the Padres' first run since the second inning and Trevor Hoffman earned his third save for the Padres, who held the Cubs scoreless from the sixth inning.

"I knew I couldn't repeat my World Series hit, not with that wind," said Blum, referring to his game-winning home run for the White Sox in the 14th inning of Game Three of the 2005 World Series. "I don't have that kind of pop in my bat. Luckily I just found a hole at the right time."

Khalil Greene doubled off Cubs reliever Will Ohman (0-1) to start the 14th and, following a Terrmel Sledge groundout, Blum lined a 2-2 pitch to left field to plate the go-ahead run.

Maddux, making his first start in Chicago since being traded away from the team last season, allowed three runs, six hits and a walk with no strikeouts, but his outing was a distant memory by the time the game was over.

"It was probably one of the easiest days to pitch here," said Maddux, noting that wind was a factor. "Days like this are kind of hard to hit a home run. You would love to pitch in conditions like this every time out; they aren't fun to play in but they are good to pitch in."

Doug Brocail (1-0), one of five Padres relievers who held the Cubs to one hit in the final nine innings, earned the win. After Derrek Lee's run-scoring single in the fifth, the Cubs didn't get another hit until Ryan Theriot singled in the 13th.

"I can't say enough about our bullpen," Padres manager Bud Black said. "What a job all of our guys in the pen did today."

The strong bullpen effort was nothing new - San Diego relievers had a 29 1/3 scoreless-inning streak snapped on Friday.

Marcus Giles, Brian Giles and Adrian Gonzalez each had an RBI for the Padres, who were just 4-for-23 with runners in scoring position and left 17 runners on base.

"It's not the best I have felt but I got some good pitches to hit," said Gonzalez, who equaled a career high with four hits. "Sometimes you have to mix in some luck, and this win will make for a nice plane ride home even though we didn't play the best possible baseball."

"I thought we played good and made some great defensive plays," said Lee, who has hit in 12 of 13 games this season. "In the end they just got the better of us."

The Cubs' Aramis Ramirez, who was playing his first game since last Tuesday due to right wrist tendinitis, had an RBI triple.

Chicago's Felix Pie had an impressive major league debut, starting in center field for the injured Alfonso Soriano. Pie had an RBI double and an outfield assist, gunning down Russell Branyan at the plate in the top of the 10th.

"It was my dream," Pie said about finally appearing in the major leagues. "It is also very exciting to get my first hit off one of the greatest pitchers (Maddux)."

Wade Miller started for the Cubs and allowed three runs, six hits and four walks while striking out three in five innings.

Maddux, who is 11-3 against the Cubs in his career, said he enjoyed returning to Chicago.

"I just love this place," he said. "To me, Wrigley has been one of the best places in baseball. ... One of the perks of playing here every day is never knowing what you will get (weather conditions)."