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Kouzmanoff helps Padres rally past Reds in ninth

Jul 22, 2008 - 3:38 AM By Douglas Tifft PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

CINCINNATI (Ticker) -- The San Diego Padres rallied for three runs in the top of the ninth to beat the Cincinnati Reds, 6-4, on Monday and snap a six-game losing streak.

Kevin Kouzmanoff laced a two-out, two-run double to give the Padres the lead against closer Francisco Cordero.

"I got a slider about low and away, about knee-high (and took care of it)," Kouzmanoff said of his game-winning hit.

Cordero (4-3) issued a one-out walk to Scott Hairston and Edgar Gonzalez blooped a single to right field to set up Brian Giles' RBI groundout that tied it at 4-4. Adrian Gonzalez was intentionally walked before Kouzmanoff delivered the decisive hit.

"(Cordero) has a good slider and he throws it down in the zone," Kouzmanoff said. "The biggest thing is to see it up. He was starting guys off with the slider early in the count, and we were able to lay off of them. Eventually he has to come back in the zone."

Padres manager Bud Black hoped this win would be a sign of things to come.

"If we get a couple more of these (type of wins) then it builds confidence, and it can carry into the next night so let's hope that happens," Black said.

Padres closer Trevor Hoffman surrendered three straight singles to begin the bottom of the ninth, but wiggled out of the jam to earn his 18th save.

"Fortunately I had a two-run lead to work with, so it was not just a base hit that could get you," Hoffman said. "It was going to have to be a hard-hit ball."

Cordero's sixth blown save and second in the last three opportunities, cost starter Homer Bailey his first win on any level since April 30, when he was with Class AAA Louisville. The Reds' top pitching prospect went 6 1/3 innings, allowing three runs on seven hits and struck out two.

"I think I made a couple of good pitches and didn't get the call," Cordero said. "It's hard to pitch like that."

Bailey struggled through a rocky first , allowing two runs on an RBI double to Adrian Gonzalez and a sacrifice fly by Kouzmanoff, but cruised through the next five frames before allowing a solo home run to Hairston in the seventh to cut the deficit to 4-3.

San Diego starter Josh Banks was touched up by the long ball in his 5 2/3. Banks allowed a two-run home run to Ken Griffey Jr. - the 606th of his career - to snap a 2-2 tie. Griffey needs three homers to tie Sammy Sosa for fifth on the all-time list.

Joe Thatcher finished up the sixth in relief of Banks and Clay Hensley (1-0) followed with two scoreless innings for the win.

"I thought the key to the game was Hensley throwing up two zeros to keep us in the game," Black said.

Rookie Jay Bruce extended his hitting streak to 10 games with an RBI double and Edwin Encarnacion homered in the second to put the Reds on the board.