• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Bard delivers in clutch again as Padres down Dodgers

Sep 1, 2007 - 6:41 AM By Tim Powers PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

SAN DIEGO (Ticker) -- Josh Bard came through in the clutch again as the San Diego Padres defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers, 6-4, in the series opener on Friday.

Bard drove in the go-ahead run with a sixth-inning single against Rudy Seanez (6-3), snapping a 3-3 tie and leading San Diego to its eighth win in 10 games.

With the victory, the Padres (74-60) climbed into a tie with Arizona (75-61) atop the National League West Division. The Diamondbacks dropped a 7-3 decision in 10 innings to the Colorado Rockies on Friday.

The 28-year-old Bard entered the game ranked third in the major leagues in batting with runners in scoring position, sporting a .412 average (35-for-85). He delivered again in this contest, bouncing the first pitch he saw from Seanez up the middle and into center field to score Adrian Gonzalez.

"I liked the way we hit with runners in scoring position," Padres manager Bud Black said. "I thought we had some good at-bats throughout the game. It was a good offensive game."

Doug Brocail (5-1) tossed 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief to notch the victory before Heath Bell came on to work a scoreless eighth. All-time saves leader Trevor Hoffman yielded a run and two hits in the ninth but held on for his 36th save in 41 chances this season and his 518th lifetime.

Former Padre David Wells made his second start for Los Angeles after signing with the club on August 24. The 44-year-old veteran was released by San Diego earlier in the month.

"It was a trip," Wells said. "You're over there (in the San Diego dugout) all year, and there was good bonding, good guys over there. It's tough to leave a situation like that. You've got to cut the ties. I've got mixed emotions, but no matter what uniform I have on, I'm going to go out there and give them 100 percent."

The burly lefthander, who went 1-3 with an 11.63 ERA in five starts with the Padres, got off to a rough start against his former club, surrendering three runs in the first. He collected himself as the game progressed, however, as he allowed three hits in five innings, striking out three and walking a batter.

"I wasn't disappointed, I'll tell you that," Wells said. "I had a couple of misfortunate happenings, but overall, it was good. I kept them in the ballgame and we had a chance to win."

Brian Giles opened the game with a walk and Gonzalez, Khalil Greene and Kevin Kouzmanoff each drove in a run to stake San Diego starter Jack Cassell - making his first major league start - to a 3-0 advantage.

Cassell, one of a handful of hurlers who have attempted to claim Wells' vacated spot in the Padres' rotation, was called up from Class AAA Portland prior to the game. The 27-year-old righthander yielded three runs and 10 hits in 5 2/3 innings, walking one and striking out five.

"Always looking back on a game, there are a couple of pitches that you want back," Cassel said. "I gave up a couple of two-strike pitches that were poor execution on my part. But all in all, I contributed to a win, and that's the biggest thing, is to help this club win."

Milton Bradley and Gonzalez each drove in an insurance run in the seventh for the Padres, who improved to 5-2 against the Dodgers at Petco Park this season.

"We're just playing good ball," Bradley said. "The pitching is always there. We've got guys getting hot at the right time and swinging the bats collectively. We've had a good approach up there and key hits. We added on late and got a little insurance. That's always important."

Bradley's effect on the Padres has not been lost since joining the team in late June in a trade from the Oakland Athletics.

"I know a lot has been talked about with the addition of Milton in our lineup," Hoffman said. "He's been providing some pop, but I think it shows you that having someone of his caliber and what he's been able to do for us allows the people around him to feed off of that success. It's nice to see our lineup starting to hit together."

Russell Martin had two hits and two RBI for Los Angeles, which saw its four-game winning streak ended.