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Young, Padres try to rebound against Zito, Giants

Apr 22, 2009 - 6:53 AM By Brett Huston Stats Writr

San Diego (9-5) at San Francisco (5-8), 3:45 p.m. EDT

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Chris Young looked to be well on his way to bouncing back from a disappointing and injury-plagued 2008 in his first two starts, which included a dominant performance in a win against the San Francisco Giants.

His third start didn't follow suit.

Young will try to rebound from one of the worst outings of his career Wednesday as the San Diego Padres wrap up a two-game set with the Giants at AT&T Park.

Young (2-0, 4.86 ERA) saw his ERA rise nearly a full run last season from the 3.12 he posted the previous year, and he spent three months of 2008 on the disabled list with a fractured nose and later a strained right forearm.

The towering right-hander was fantastic in his first two starts in 2009 though, leading the Padres (9-5) to a win over the Los Angeles Dodgers in his first outing, then yielding just an unearned run and four hits over seven innings - striking out seven - in a 6-1 victory over San Francisco (5-8) on April 12.

He didn't get a decision in his last outing, an 8-7 San Diego win Friday at Philadelphia. Scott Hairston's late-inning heroics - he homered and hit a go-ahead two-run double in the eighth - were necessary because of a poor start.

Young gave up a career high-tying seven runs and nine hits over 3 2-3 innings, but focused on the thrilling comeback.

"The team showed a ton of heart. I think we're getting an identity," he told the team's official Web site. "We're going to scrap and we're going to fight for nine innings. We were down early and could have mailed it in."

The Padres split their next two games in Philadelphia and were rained out Monday before returning home to meet the Giants. San Francisco, which had scored 12 runs in its previous seven games, didn't figure to put up much of a fight against ace Jake Peavy.

Instead, the Giants knocked the 2007 NL Cy Young winner around. Edgar Renteria went 3-for-4 with five RBIs, and connected for the first-ever grand slam off Peavy to spark an 8-3 win.

"I felt good today and I saw the ball good," Renteria said. "It's the first time I've seen the ball like that. Hopefully I can see it like that every time."

Renteria is 4-for-6 with a homer in his career against Young, and he and the rest of San Francisco's offense may need another big day Wednesday if they're going to have a chance.

That's because Barry Zito (0-2, 10.00) hasn't inspired much confidence that he can keep his team in a game, much less shut down an opposing offense. Zito gave up four runs in four innings April 10 in a 7-3 loss to the Padres, then gave up six runs in five innings in a 7-2 defeat at Los Angeles on Thursday.

"I'm going out and fighting, and I'm in the right place in where I have to be, but the results don't show that," Zito said after the latest loss. "Sometimes you get results and you're not where you have to be. Ultimately, you're judged on results."

Zito's last start in San Francisco against the Padres was successful. He gave up three runs and four hits over eight innings in a 4-3 victory on Aug. 23.

San Diego outfielder Brian Giles, who's hitting .172 this season, is 6-for-15 (.400) with four RBIs and seven walks against Zito.