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Herrera, Bay help Pirates pound Padres

Jul 25, 2008 - 3:02 AM By Chris Adamski PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

PITTSBURGH (Ticker) -- It took three starts for rookie Yoslan Herrera to adjust to major league hitting.

Herrera tossed six scoreless innings and Jason Bay, Xavier Nady and Nate McLouth all homered as the Pittsburgh Pirates posted their fourth straight win, a 9-1 triumph over the woeful San Diego Padres on Thursday night.

Herrera (1-1) had allowed 13 runs and 19 hits over six innings in his two prior outings since being recalled from Class AA Altoona. But despite his 19.50 ERA, he yielded only six hits and a walk against San Diego's meek offense for his first career win.

"I'm very happy," Herrera said through an interpreter. "I don't have the words to say, but I'm very, very happy to get my first win. It's a gift I'm going to have for the rest of my life playing baseball."

A Cuban defector who signed with the Pirates before last season, Herrera threw 58 of his 96 pitches for strikes.

"It was a very clean start for him," Pittsburgh manager John Russell said. "We're very happy he got his first major league win. He deserves it. He threw the ball very well.

"I think he got over the first-start jitters, and then his second start, he was really a non-factor. He couldn't get anything going. Tonight, he looked like he was much more relaxed."

The 28-year-old righthander was backed by an offense that has scored 34 runs and collected 54 hits in its past four games.

Bay and Nady hit back-to-back home runs off Clay Hensley to start the fourth, staking the Pirates to a 4-0 lead. It marked the first time this season Pittsburgh had consecutive homers.

"You hit the home runs, and you have a little fun," said Bay, who days as a Pirate may be numbered with the trade deadline looming. "You hit one home run and then two, and then all of a sudden, it's a little more jovial. It picks everyone up when you hit two like that."

Bay, whose 22nd homer surpassed his total for all of last season, now has 15 RBI in his past 10 games. He also drove in Freddy Sanchez with a sacrifice fly in the first.

The Pirates' 5.28 ERA is the worst in baseball, but they sure can hit. Pittsburgh (493) is second in the National League in runs scored behind Philadelphia (503).

"The offense has never been in question, as far as I'm concerned," said Ryan Doumit, who had an RBI double in the first. "We feel like we can hit anybody."

The Pirates chased Hensley after the righthander allowed the first two batters in the sixth to reach. Recalled earlier in the day from Class AAA Portland, Justin Hampson entered and, following a single by Doug Mientkiewicz, walked pinch hitter Chris Gomez with the bases loaded.

Two batters later, All-Star McLouth lifted a sacrifice fly for a 6-0 bulge.

Adrian Gonzalez spoiled the shutout bid in the eighth with a two-out single that scored former Pirate Jody Gerut, who led off the frame with a double - the Padres' only extra-base hit.

Luis Rivas delivered an RBI single in the bottom half and McLouth followed with his 21st home run, capping the scoring.

Hensley (1-1), who was making his first start of the season after beginning the year on the disabled list due to a right shoulder strain, allowed six runs and seven hits in five innings. The 28-year-old, who had made three relief appearances prior to Thursday, walked two and struck out a pair.

"I felt pretty good. I just think a couple pitches got away from me and got hit, and that hurt," Hensley said. "My arm felt strong. I didn't feel like I was running out of gas or anything. I think the results were probably a little worse than the way I felt."

Gonzalez and Kevin Kouzmanoff had two hits apiece for the Padres (38-65), who have lost 26 of 33 and own the worst record in baseball.

"(Herrera) threw his pitches for strikes," San Diego manager Bud Black said. "He attacked the zone, threw off-speed pitches for strikes. It seemed like he got behind a lot before, but today, he was ahead. He threw the ball well."