Recap: San Diego vs. Arizona
Sports Network | August 26, 2008
San Diego, CA (Sports Network) - Jody Gerut hit a game-ending two-run home run to lift San Diego to a 4-2 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks, and snap the Padres' seven game losing streak.
The game had been tied since the end of the fourth inning, and Arizona's Jon Rauch came on to pitch in the bottom of the ninth. Rauch struck out pinch- hitter Scott Hairston for the first out. Brian Giles next came up and was safe at first after the throw on his grounder sailed past the bag. However, he tried to move up to second and was tagged out after the ball bounced back toward the field to make the relay throw easier.
After that play, Rauch looked like he might end the inning and send the game to extras, but Luis Rodriguez singled ahead of Gerut. Rauch threw a slider slightly inside that hung up, and Gerut stayed inside the pitch to hammer it deep over the right field fence to give the Padres the win.
The homer made a winner out of Trevor Hoffman (2-6), who threw a scoreless top of the ninth inning. Rauch (4-5) took the loss.
Giles and Rodriguez each had three hits and a run batted in, while Rodriguez's tally included a double and triple. Jake Peavy was solid in six innings, but took the no-decision. He gave up just two runs on four hits and two walks, while striking out seven for San Diego, which was swept by Arizona in three games from August 19-21, but won the opener of this three-game set.
Diamondbacks starter Dan Haren gave up two runs on nine hits and a walk in seven frames, and struck out 11, but didn't factor into the decision.
Chris Snyder finished 1-for-4 and drove in both the runs for Arizona, which maintained its three-game lead over Los Angeles atop the NL West. The Dodgers lost to Philadelphia earlier on Monday.
The Padres got on the board first, in the third inning. Giles led off with a walk, and Rodriguez's triple sent him home for a 1-0 edge.
Arizona took the lead in the top of the fourth, when singles from Conor Jackson and Mark Reynolds put runners on the corners. Reynolds stole second before Snyder singled to center, plating both runs.
Singles from Josh Bard and Peavy put runners on the corners with two outs in the home fourth for the Padres. Giles followed with a single that scored Bard, but Rodriguez struck out to end the inning.
The Diamondbacks had two runners on with two outs in the seventh, but Chris Young struck out to end the threat. In the bottom of the eighth, San Diego loaded the bases with one out, but Tadahito Iguchi grounded into a double play.
The Padres left nine runners on base...Gerut's homer was his 14th of the season...The Diamondbacks have lost three of four overall...Rauch received the loss in his second consecutive outing.
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