Padres 7 - 6 Diamondbacks
Final
  for this game

Padres edge Arizona, avoid sweep

Sep 12, 2011 - 12:51 AM

Video

Phoenix, AZ (Sports Network) - Nick Hundley went 3-for-4 with a two-run homer, as the Padres edged the Diamondbacks, 7-6, to avoid getting swept by the NL West leaders in the finale of a four-game series.

Jesus Guzman added two hits and two RBI for San Diego, which scored eight total runs in the first three games of the set. Wade LeBlanc (3-5) gave up four runs in 5 2/3 innings to get the win.

Chris Young and Collin Cowgill had two-run hits during the sixth inning for Arizona, whose division lead over San Francisco was trimmed to 8 1/2 games. The Giants beat the Dodgers on Sunday, and the Diamondbacks' magic number is still eight.

Josh Collmenter (9-9) took the loss after allowing six runs in four-plus innings.

Hundley doubled and scored on James Darnell's base hit in the second inning, and the Padres tacked on three runs in the third.

LeBlanc led off with a single and moved to third on a ground-rule double by Cameron Maybin. LeBlanc was tagged out at home trying to score on a ball hit to short by Chris Denorfia, but Guzman followed with an RBI single.

The runners advanced to scoring position on the throw, and a walk to Hundley loaded the bases. Collmenter walked in a run before Darnell hit a sacrifice fly.

Collmenter walked Guzman to open the fifth before Hundley's two-run blast to left chased the Arizona starter. Guzman's RBI single off Zach Duke in the sixth increased the San Diego lead to 7-0, and at that point it was a matter of holding on.

Henry Blanco began a five-run rally in the bottom half with a leadoff homer to left.

The Diamondbacks had two on with two away later in the inning, and LeBlanc prolonged the inning with a walk to Paul Goldschmidt. He was replaced by Erik Hamren, but Hamren couldn't avoid giving up damage.

Chris Young smacked a two-run double and Cowgill followed with a two-run single, bringing Arizona within 7-5.

The Diamondbacks were within a run in the seventh, when pinch-hitter Justin Upton's grounder plated Blanco.

But San Diego held on. Luke Gregerson came in to get the final out of the inning, then pitched a scoreless eighth. Heath Bell worked around a leadoff walk to Willie Bloomquist in the ninth to record his 37th save.

Game Notes

San Diego improved to 1-3 on its road trip, which ends with a three-game set in San Francisco starting Monday...Arizona starts a six-game trip in LA on Monday. After three games there, the D-Backs head to San Diego...Arizona still leads the season series, 10-5...Collmenter suffered his first loss since August 21, when he allowed a run in seven innings to Atlanta. He hadn't given up six runs since August 5, when he lasted 2 1/3 innings against the Dodgers...LeBlanc snapped a three-start losing streak.






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