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Eaton lifts Phillies over Padres

Jul 21, 2007 - 6:57 AM SAN DIEGO (Ticker) -- Adam Eaton helped the Philadelphia Phillies avoid a three-game losing streak by defeating his former team.

Eaton pitched effectively into the sixth inning and delivered an RBI single to cap a three-run fourth as the Phillies posted a 7-3 victory over the San Diego Padres on Friday.

The 29-year-old Eaton (9-6), who spent six seasons with San Diego from 2000-05, yielded two runs and seven hits with three walks and six strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings.

"I had a lot of great memories here," Eaton said. "It's where I made my major league debut, where I played most of my career and where we won the division in (2005).

"When they announced my name, I received a nice applause. It was nice. I appreciated that very much. It was definitely a good feeling to go against your old mates."

After surrendering an RBI double by Adrian Gonzalez with none out in the third, Eaton did not allow another hit until Mike Cameron singled to left with two outs in the fifth.

Eaton, who threw 104 pitches, was relieved by J.C. Romero after giving up a base hit to Geoff Blum in the sixth. Romero issued two walks to load the bases but was able to get Milton Bradley to ground out, ending the threat.

"I thought (Eaton) did all right," Philadelphia manager Charlie Manuel said. "Like so many times this year, he accumulates a lot of pitches early. Then all of a sudden, he has a couple of easy innings and really settles down."

Eaton helped himself at the plate, belting a two-out base hit to center field off Padres starter Justin Germano (6-4) to score Aaron Rowand for a 4-2 lead.

Rowand started the rally with an RBI double to left that scored Chase Utley, and Pat Burrell followed with a run-scoring groundout.

After Wes Helms struck out, Rod Barajas kept alive the inning by drawing a walk, which set the stage for Eaton to record his fourth RBI of the season.

"I just wanted to look for something I could handle," Eaton said.

Utley gave Philadelphia some breathing room in the seventh inning with his 17th homer of the season, a two-run shot to center that made it 6-2. The All-Star now has eight multi-hit performances in his last nine contests, batting .452 with two homers and 14 RBI over that span.

"When you hit a 3-1 pitch (for a) homer and a double, you know things are going right for you," Manuel said.

Germano lasted 5 1/3 innings, allowing four runs and six hits with three walks and three strikeouts.

"I'm sure (Germano) would like to take away the leadoff walk to Utley in the three-run (fourth) inning," San Diego manager Bud Black said. "His game is getting the ground ball, getting the guys to make contact. The ill-advised walks probably isn't part of his game."

After starting the season with five wins in as many decisions, the 24-year-old righthander has posted a 1-4 record with a 5.45 ERA over the last six starts.

"Those couple of walks hurt him, but really those couple of broken-bat hits really did him in that inning," Black said. "He could have had a different fate if things went a little different."

The Phillies, who had lost four of their previous five, started the scoring in the opening frame when Ryan Howard singled in Shane Victorino.

"Every game we win seems critical," Manuel said. "We battle like (heck). It's kind of how things are going for us right now."

The Padres answered with Russell Branyan's RBI base hit in the second.