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Maddux shuts down former club as Padres top Dodgers

Apr 29, 2007 - 6:44 AM SAN DIEGO (Ticker) -- Greg Maddux showed his former club what they are missing.

Maddux pitched seven solid innings, retiring the last 14 hitters he faced, and Khalil Greene sparked a three-run fourth inning for the San Diego Padres en route to a 3-2 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Terrmel Sledge made a crucial defensive play in the eighth inning for the Padres, who snapped a three-game losing streak.

"I located the ball a little better (later in the game)," Maddux said. "I was a little wild early. I was fortunate to stay out of the big inning early in the game and the guys came back."

"(Maddux) was efficient, to say the least," Padres manager Bud Black said. "He got better as the game went on. He did what he usually does, which is change speeds and works the ball in and out. He was outstanding."

Looking to pick up his club, Maddux (2-2) faced the Dodgers for the first time since signing a one-year, $10 million contract with San Diego in the offseason. But the 41-year-old righthander did not spend much time in Los Angeles.

After being acquired at the July 31 trade deadline from the Chicago Cubs, Maddux posted a 6-3 mark with a 3.30 ERA in 12 starts for the Dodgers over the final two months of the 2006 season.

"We knew that he was going to be tough the minute he signed with the Padres," Dodgers manager Grady Little said. "We knew that we'd be facing him and knew we'd have a battle on our hands every time we'd face him."

Entering Saturday's contest, the four-time Cy Young Award winner has had success against Los Angeles in his career, posting a 13-7 record with a 2.76 ERA in 31 starts - including wins in three of his last four outings.

It was no different this time around for Maddux, who allowed two runs and five hits, while walking one and striking out three. Scott Linebrink worked a scoreless eighth with help from Sledge.

With one out, Juan Pierre slapped a hit down the left-field line, sending Sledge into the corner. But the slick-fielding outfielder tracked it down near the stands, spun and fired a one-hop strike to second baseman Marcus Giles, who applied a diving tag on Pierre.

"Great play - huge," Black said. "Obviously, when (Pierre) was on second (earlier in the game), he caused quite a bit of havoc. I've got to give Sledge a lot of credit for the amount of work he put in (during spring training). It's great to see that the work he put in is showing dividends for him on defense."

In the ninth, it was a bounce-back performance by all-time saves leader Trevor Hoffman, who was undone by defensive lapses by his teammates - failing to hold a two-run lead in the ninth inning one night earlier.

"It's just nice to not sit any longer and you kind of get right back out there before you let things like that fester too much," said Hoffman, who had blown back-to-back save chances. "It's just a matter of going out and getting it done. The biggest thing is, you can't change those habits from the night before. You have to just go out and trust your stuff."

Hoffman worked a perfect frame - picking up his fifth save - but caused some anxiety in the game's final at-bat against Dodgers catcher Russell Martin. The young backstop drove Sledge to the warning track before securing the final out.

"With Trev, I think the odds are always in his favor because of his talent," Black said. "I'm glad that he was able to get out there so soon, right back on the horse, and he did a great job."

Trailing, 2-0, in the fourth, San Diego put together a quick rally. Brian Giles and Adrian Gonzalez smacked back-to-back two-out hits, and Greene followed with a two-run double to tie the game.

Mike Cameron then singled home Greene for the go-ahead tally.

"I thought the first time around the lineup (Dodgers starter Brett Tomko) did a good job of locating his fastball," Giles said. "Every changeup and every slider he threw was a strike. He just made good pitches, and then he started leaving the ball up in the (fourth). We were able to string together some hits and score a few runs."

Tomko (0-2), a former Padre, allowed three runs and six hits in 6 1/3 innings, while striking out one and not walking a batter for Los Angeles.

"I felt good all game," said Tomko, who retired the first 11 batters he faced. "I even felt like I had good command in that (fourth) inning. They pieced together four hits, but they just as easily could have popped one up or rolled over one. That's just the way it is."

"For that one inning, (Tomko) ran into a tough time there," Little said. "He lost his no-hitter, lost his shutout and lost the game all in one inning. He threw the ball well outside of that particular game, and that's just the way it happened."

Juan Pierre had three hits for the Dodgers, who lost for the fifth time in six games.