Final
Padres, Phillies heading in opposite directions
Apr 19, 2009 - 5:57 AM By Brett Huston Stats WriterSan Diego (9-3) at Philadelphia (4-6), 1:35 p.m. EDT
PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- A hot start has the San Diego Padres among the biggest surprises during baseball's first two weeks. The Philadelphia Phillies, meanwhile, are high atop the list of early disappointments.
The Padres will try to keep rolling when they continue their series Sunday afternoon in Philadelphia, as they'll look for a fourth straight win while sending the reeling Phillies to a fourth consecutive loss - and fifth in six games this season at Citizens Bank Park.
San Diego (9-3) was expected to be in full rebuilding mode after finishing with 99 losses in 2008. The Padres parted ways with all-time saves leader Trevor Hoffman and spent the offseason shopping ace Jake Peavy.
Peavy, however, is still a Padre for now. With Hoffman gone, Heath Bell has been dominant as the team's new closer, going 7-for-7 in save opportunities without allowing a run.
Bell has closed the door in both of San Diego's wins against the Phillies (4-6) this weekend, though his save Saturday came only after another dominant closer couldn't get the job done. Brad Lidge, who was a perfect 48-for-48 in save opportunities on Philadelphia's road to the World Series last season, blew his first save since Sept. 23, 2007, when he pitched for Houston.
The key blow came on a three-run homer from Kevin Kouzmanoff with two outs, a shot that helped seal the Padres' 8-5 win.
"I feel bad for Lidge," Bell said after his third consecutive day with a save. "In a closer way I feel bad for him, but I'm happy we won."
San Diego, which has won eight of its past nine, has come back from late-inning deficits in both wins against the Phillies.
"We've got a bunch of grinders here," outfielder Brian Giles told the Padres' official Web site. "We're constantly putting pressure on the other team each inning, and we're coming up with big hits."
The reason for Philadelphia's less-than-impressive start has been its pitching, which has had far more struggles than Lidge's first blown save in nearly 18 months. The Phillies had a 3.88 staff ERA last season - third in the NL - but they have a major-league worst 7.16 ERA through 10 games in 2009.
Chan Ho Park (0-0, 10.38 ERA) certainly hasn't been without blame, as his first start at the back end of Philadelphia's rotation was ugly. The veteran right-hander lasted 3 1-3 innings Sunday at Colorado, allowing five runs and seven hits while walking three, though the Phillies rallied to win 7-5 in cold and rainy Denver.
"It doesn't matter if it's cold," Park told Philadelphia's official Web site. "It doesn't matter if it's windy. It doesn't matter how hot it is. You've got to make pitches. The bullpen picked me up big time."
Park faced the Padres five times in relief with the Dodgers last season, but hasn't started against them since 2001.
He'll face quite a challenge Sunday. Giles is 7-for-16 (.438) with four doubles, a homer and four RBIs against Park, and first baseman Adrian Gonzalez has three homers in his past five games, though he's only had one at-bat versus Park.
Rookie Josh Geer (2-1, 2.67 ERA in 2008) will start for the Padres in place of Walter Silva, who is headed to the disabled list with a strained right forearm.
Geer was solid in five September starts last season, but struggled in spring training, compiling a 10.43 ERA.
- NL
FINAL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
SAN DIEGO 0 0 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 4 12 1
PHILADELPHIA 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 2 5 9 0 (FINAL)
BATTERIES: SDG - JOSH GEER, EDWARD MUJICA (8TH), EDWIN MORENO (9TH) AND NICK
HUNDLEY
PHI - CHAN HO PARK, J.A. HAPP (6TH), CLAY CONDREY (9TH)
AND CHRIS COSTE
HOME RUNS: SDG
Apr 19 4:05 PM - NL
AT PHILADELPHIA - SCORING UPDATE
TWO-RUN HOME RUN BY RAUL IBANEZ (5) TO RIGHT WITH 0 OUT IN
THE 9TH OFF EDWIN MORENO SCORED RYAN HOWARD.
FINAL SCORE: PHILADELPHIA 5, SAN DIEGO 4
Padres 4, Phillies 5 Bot 9, 0 OutsApr 19 4:05 PM - NL
AT PHILADELPHIA - SCORING UPDATE
SOLO HOME RUN BY JIMMY ROLLINS (1) TO RIGHT WITH 0 OUT IN
THE 8TH OFF EDWARD MUJICA.
CURRENT SCORE: SAN DIEGO 4, PHILADELPHIA 3
DUE UP FOR PHILADELPHIA: S VICTORINO (.227, 1-FOR-3)
Padres 4, Phillies 3 Bot 8, 0 OutsApr 19 3:46 PM - NL
AT PHILADELPHIA - SCORING UPDATE
TWO-RUN HOME RUN BY CHASE UTLEY (4) TO RIGHT WITH 1 OUT IN
THE 6TH OFF JOSH GEER SCORED ERIC BRUNTLETT.
CURRENT SCORE: SAN DIEGO 4, PHILADELPHIA 2
DUE UP FOR PHILADELPHIA: R HOWARD (.310, 1-FOR-2)
Padres 4, Phillies 2 Bot 6, 0 OutsApr 19 3:13 PM - NL
AT PHILADELPHIA - SCORING UPDATE
SOLO HOME RUN BY ADRIAN GONZALEZ (5) TO RIGHT WITH 2 OUT IN
THE 5TH OFF CHAN HO PARK.
CURRENT SCORE: SAN DIEGO 4, PHILADELPHIA 0
DUE UP FOR SAN DIEGO: C HEADLEY (.271, 0-FOR-2)
Padres 4, Phillies 0 Top 5, 0 OutsApr 19 2:52 PM - NL
AT PHILADELPHIA - SCORING UPDATE
GROUND OUT BY BRIAN GILES SCORED EDGAR GONZALEZ.
SITUATION: 3 RUNS IN, NONE ON, 2 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: SAN DIEGO 3
PHILADELPHIA 0 TOP, 3RD
DUE UP FOR SAN DIEGO: A GONZALEZ (.286, 1-FOR-1)
Padres 3, Phillies 0 Top 3, 0 OutsApr 19 2:21 PM - NL
AT PHILADELPHIA - SCORING UPDATE
TRIPLE BY EDGAR GONZALEZ SCORED JODY GERUT.
SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, E GONZALEZ ON THIRD, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: SAN DIEGO 2
PHILADELPHIA 0 TOP, 3RD
DUE UP FOR SAN DIEGO: B GILES (.160, 0-FOR-1)
Padres 2, Phillies 0 Top 3, 0 OutsApr 19 2:18 PM - NL
AT PHILADELPHIA - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY JODY GERUT SCORED EVERTH CABRERA.
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, J GERUT ON FIRST, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: SAN DIEGO 1
PHILADELPHIA 0 TOP, 3RD
DUE UP FOR SAN DIEGO: E GONZALEZ (.083, 0-FOR-1)
Padres 1, Phillies 0 Top 3, 0 OutsApr 19 2:14 PM
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