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Verlander, Ordonez push Tigers past Padres

Jun 23, 2008 - 12:18 AM By Tim Powers PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

SAN DIEGO (Ticker) -- Justin Verlander struck out a season-high 10 batters and Magglio Ordonez homered and drove in three runs to lead the Detroit Tigers to a 5-3 triumph over the San Diego Padres on Sunday and earn a win of the three-game interleague series.

Verlander (4-9) surrendered two runs over 5 1/3 innings en route to his first road victory of the season. The 25-year-old righthander kept intact his perfect record in interleague matchups, improving to 8-0 in nine career starts against the National League. He walked five batters, two intentionally.

"I thought my curveball was a little better, but my changeup wasn't any good," Verlander said. "The fastball was good and I could use it to get outs. We're hitting our stride. I see more confidence and I see us playing better."

Bobby Seay got two outs in the sixth before Joel Zumaya surrendered a run in the seventh before Zach Miner contributed a scoreless eighth.

Todd Jones came on in the ninth and took a ground ball off the knee, but stayed in the game to convert his 14th save in as many chances, giving Detroit its 12th win in 15 games.

"We're moving in the right direction," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "We're not sprinting, but we're crawling. We're getting some timely hits and we're getting some timely outs from the pitching staff. There are a lot of contributions coming from a lot of different people."

Ordonez's two-run blast in the fifth against San Diego starter Randy Wolf broke a 1-1 tie, and the reigning American League batting champion doubled home another run in the seventh that put Detroit on top 4-2.

"I was looking for a pitch that I could drive, and fortunately he threw me a good pitch to hit," Ordonez said. "It's confidence, and we're pitching better and hitting better and when you do those things combined, you have a good chance to win games."

San Diego cut the deficit in half in the bottom of the frame on Khalil Greene's double which scored Edgar Gonzalez, but failed to tie the score when Adrian Gonzalez was thrown out at home plate.

Ivan Rodriguez belted a solo shot - his second of the season - against Heath Bell in the eighth to pad the advantage to 5-3.

Wolf (5-6) lasted six innings, allowing three runs - two earned - and also recorded a season-high 10 strikeouts. The 31-year-old lefthander walked four batters.

"I left a curveball up over the plate (to Ordonez), and obviously it wasn't where I wanted it to be," Wolf said. "I think that was kind of the difference in the game. It's tough; those are the ones that make it tough to sleep at night."

Adrian Gonzalez homered and had two hits in the game for the Padres, who have lost six of seven.

"We play a lot of close games, and there have been times this season where we've won our share," Padres manager Bud Black said. "In the last week or so or 10 days, we haven't for a variety of reasons. We're giving up some runs late in the game and not getting clutch hits."