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Peavy sharp as Padres down Dodgers

Sep 12, 2007 - 6:15 AM By Chris Padula PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

LOS ANGELES (Ticker) - The San Diego Padres powered their way past the Los Angeles Dodgers, 9-4, in Tuesday's series opener behind a strong performance by Cy Young candidate Jake Peavy.

Brian Giles, Kevin Kouzmanoff, Geoff Blum and Khalil Greene each homered for the Padres (78-65), who extended their lead in the National League wild card race to 2 1/2 games over the Philadelphia Phillies (76-68).

Peavy (17-6) continued his domination over the Dodgers, surrendering two runs and five hits in seven innings, while walking two and striking out five. The 26-year-old righthander improved his career mark against the Dodgers to 9-1 and continues to set the pace in the NL with 17 wins.

"I don't know what it is, but sometimes pitchers just seem to pitch better against certain teams," Peavy said. "It's just good to come in here and take the first game."

He bounced back nicely from his worst start of the season last week at Arizona when he allowed eight runs in four innings.

"Maybe it was him (Peavy) pitching on short rest in his last start, but he was throwing good tonight," Padres manager Bud Black said.

San Diego managed to blast three home runs off newly acquired Dodgers starter Esteban Loaiza (2-1). The veteran righthander was claimed off waivers by the Los Angeles in late August and had gone 2-0 with a 2.49 ERA in three starts for his new club before Tuesday.

"I just didn't have my best stuff tonight," Loaiza said. "I wanted to come and pitch my game in front of these fans but just didn't do my job."

The Padres got to Loaiza in the first inning after he issued walks to three of the first four batters he faced. Brian Giles came around to score the game's opening run a sacrifice fly by Greene, and Kouzmanoff plated Blum with a single to grab an early 2-0 lead.

"We wanted to try and get some runs early for Jake to work with and we caught a break in the first inning," Giles said. "This was a big game for both of us, and it's just good to get the first one of the series."

San Diego added to its lead in the following frame when Giles' two-run blast opened a 4-0 lead. Greene's and Kouzmanoff's back-to-back homers in the third inning extended the lead to 6-0 and chased Loaiza from the contest.

"I was just looking for something hard to hit and I got a pitch in the zone and hit it hard," Kouzmanoff said.

Loaiza lasted just 3 1/3 innings, allowing six runs and six hits, while striking out five and walking four.

"We're going to need him (Loaiza) down the stretch and I know he will be ready to go out and give us a strong outing next time out," Dodgers manager Grady Little said.

The highlight of the game for the Dodgers came in the ninth when highly-touted shortstop prospect Chin-Lung Hu hit a solo blast off righthander Brett Tomko for his first career homer.

"It was exciting for us and him (Hu) to see him come up with his first major league hit," Little said. "He has a bright future."

James Loney also homered and drove in a pair for Los Angeles (75-69), which fell to 3 1/2 games behind the Padres in the wild card race.

"It doesn't matter how good I do at the plate, because we needed to pull this game out and we just didn't get it done," Loney said. "It just makes it that much harder for us this series and now we have to win the next two games."