San Diego, CA (Worldwide Gamble) - Pinch-hitter Oscar Salazar singled home the
winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning, and the San Diego Padres posted
a 3-2 victory over Los Angeles in the rubber match of a three-game series at
Petco Park.
George Sherrill (1-2) came on to pitch the ninth for the Dodgers, and Scott
Hairston greeted him with a single to left field. Tony Gwynn Jr. sacrificed
the runner to second, and Salazar followed by delivering a grounder up the
middle to plate the decisive run.
Salazar's heroics made a winner out of Heath Bell (5-0), who tossed a 1-2-3
ninth.
Chase Headley and Yorvit Torrealba both knocked in a run for the NL West-
leading Padres, who acquired former AL MVP Miguel Tejada from Baltimore before
the game. Mat Latos earned a no-decision after giving up two runs -- one
earned -- on two hits and three walks in five innings of work. He fanned
seven.
James Loney homered for the Dodgers, while starter Vicente Padilla allowed two
runs on four hits over four innings.
The Padres grabbed a 1-0 lead in the first inning on a run-scoring single by
Headley, but Loney's eighth home run of the season tied the game in the
second.
San Diego regained the lead in the fourth when Headley walked to begin the
inning and came home on a double by Torrealba.
Latos, though, ran into trouble in the fifth, walking two of the first three
batters. Pinch-hitter Garret Anderson then singled to left field, and Jamey
Carroll was able to score the tying run after Hairston misplayed the ball.
Game Notes
Torrealba extended his hitting streak to 12 games...San Diego improved to
32-20 at home...Adrian Gonzalez had two hits for the Padres...Los Angeles was
limited to three hits in the game.
