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Padres shoot for another win over Pirates

Aug 7, 2011 - 3:12 PM (Sports Network) - The San Diego Padres continued to pile on the runs against the Pirates Saturday night, and now Pittsburgh desperately needs a stopper to end a nine-game skid this afternoon from PNC Park.

Pirates pitchers have surrendered 15 home runs in the last five games, including grand slams in back-to-back contests. Last night it was Kyle Blanks getting the homer with the bases full in a 13-2 rout. He drove in five runs for the Padres, who have outscored the Pirates, 28-7, in the two games thus far this weekend.

"I see us swinging at strikes and taking balls. We're having good at-bats," Padres manager Bud Black said.

Kevin Correia tries to stop the bleeding for the Pirates this afternoon. The righty will need to have a much better performance than Tuesday, when he was blitzed for 10 hits and eight runs over two-plus innings in an 11-6 defeat to the Cubs. That included four homers.

Another victory will give Correia a career-high in wins for a season. He had 12 triumphs in 2009. The last Pirates right-hander to win more than 12 games in a season was Ian Snell with 14 in 2006.

Correia has a 3-1 mark with a 4.70 ERA in 20 games (6 stats) vs. the Cubs.

Mat Latos tries to break a six-start winless stretch when he gets the ball today for the Padres. The righty, who has dropped his last three decisions, hasn't won since June 27 against Kansas City. He threw seven innings in a 1-0 loss to the Dodgers on Tuesday.

This will be Latos' third career start vs. Pittsburgh and he's 1-0 with a 3.00 ERA.

After a brief stay in first place in the NL Central in July, the Buccos sit in third place and are four games under .500. It is the longest losing streak for the team since they dropped 12 in a row from June 6-18, 2010.

The past two debacles have been part of a run that began when the team dropped a 19-inning affair to the Braves on a horrific call that allowed Julio Lugo to score the winning run. Since then, the Pirates have dropped 11 of their last 12 contests.

Orlando Hudson went 3-for-5 with an RBI and three runs scored while Rob Johnson drove in three runs for the Padres, who have won three straight. Cory Luebke (4-6) snapped a three-start losing streak as he gave up just one run on five hits while striking out a career-high nine batters.

Paul Maholm (6-12) was tagged for seven runs on 10 hits in 6 2/3 innings to take the loss for Pittsburgh. Garrett Jones hit a solo home run.

"Balls found holes, they used their opportunities to their advantage and we just couldn't do anything out there today," said Pirates manager Clint Hurdle. "I'm just looking at the dugout right now and we have some guys who just aren't as sharp as they should be. It wasn't a good game."

Pittsburgh won two of three games at San Diego from May 2-4, but the Pirates have lost eight in a row at PNC Park to the Padres.