|
|
|
|
 |
|
Scores Schedules Standings Statistics Transactions Injuries: AL | NL Players Weekly Lineup Message Board Minor Leagues MLB Stat Search Clubhouses |
| Sport Sections |
|
|
| |
Sunday, Sep. 3 4:05pm ET
Pirates sweep series from Padres | |||||
|
| ||||||
|
RECAP
|
BOX SCORE
|
GAME LOG
SAN DIEGO (AP) -- Jason Kendall didn't get a good look at Carlos Almanzar's pitch. It hardly mattered. With shadows creeping across the field, Kendall hit a two-run homer in the 13th inning to lift the Pittsburgh Pirates past the San Diego Padres 8-6 Sunday for a sweep of their three-game series. "I don't even know if I saw the ball," the Pirates catcher said. "I just swung hard and hoped that I hit it. In those kind of games, anything goes. You don't know what's going to happen." John Wehner, who joined the Pirates on Friday from Triple-A Nashville, hit his third single of the day with one out in the 13th. Kendall followed with a drive over the wall in left center off Almanzar (3-4) for his 14th homer of the season. "We've been struggling this season. It's been no secret," Kendall said. "It's good to play good baseball. Hopefully, we can keep that going." The game lasted 4 hours, 17 minutes. Matt Skrmetta (1-0), who also was called up Friday from Nashville, went 1 1/3 innings to gain the win. For three seasons through last year, Skrmetta pitched in the Padres' farm system. "It was nice to get the win against them," Skrmetta said. "I was just happy to get in there and keep the team in the game. You're a little tentative sometimes because you don't know the guys. But Jason Kendall did an outstanding job behind the plate. I didn't shake him off once." Mike Williams got the final three outs for his 18th save. The Pirates had gone 4-17 over their last 21 games coming into the series at San Diego. They finished 7-2 on the season against the Padres. "We caught them on a roll," said Phil Nevin, who had a RBI forceout as a pinch hitter in the seventh. "When you open the door for them, they're going to take it. We didn't get timely hits like we needed, we didn't throw strikes and we didn't make plays." Wehner's hit in the 13th was the first by the Pirates since the sixth inning. Sixteen straight Pittsburgh batters were retired until Abraham Nunez opened the 12th with a walk. The Pirates' Kris Benson gave up six runs and 13 hits in 6 1/3 innings. He allowed only one hit in eight scoreless innings against San Francisco in his previous start, when he ended a string of five straight losses. "Those games are kind of funny because you don't feel like you've pitched in game, when you start and see it go a lot of innings," Benson said. "But it's always good to come out with a win." San Diego rookie Adam Eaton gave up six runs and six hits in just three innings, the shortest of his 18 career starts. In his previous start, Eaton lasted four innings, allowing five runs and seven hits against the Chicago Cubs. "Eaton was struggling a little bit," Padres manager Bruce Bochy said. "But the bullpen picked us up and gave us a chance to come back. Then we ended up a hit short." The Padres trailed 6-4 heading into the seventh, but John Mabry hit a leadoff homer. Mike Darr followed with a walk and Ben Davis hit a one-out single to put runners at first and third, chasing Benson. Nevin then made it 6-6, driving in the tying run off Josias Manzanillo. The Padres took a 4-1 lead in the second, when they scored four runs on six hits. Included were a RBI single by Eaton and a RBI single by Damian Jackson, who extended his career-high hitting streak to 12 games. Ryan Klesko went 3-for-7, including an RBI single. Game notesEd Sprague rejoined the Padres after his contract was purchased from Class-A Rancho Cucamonga. San Diego traded Sprague to Boston on June 30 for two minor league players but the Red Sox released him Aug. 13. ... The Padres transferred RHP Stan Spencer, out since June 20 with a strained right elbow, to the 60-day disabled list from the 15-day list. ... Pittsburgh's Keith Osik started at catcher -- his third position in four games. He also started at first base Thursday and third base Friday and Saturday. ... C Ben Davis went 2-for-4 in his first start for the Padres since he was activated Friday from the 15-day disabled list. He had been sidelined since Aug. 13 because of a strained oblique muscle. ... The Pirates recorded their first three-game sweep in San Diego since 1996. | ALSO SEE Baseball Scoreboard Pittsburgh Clubhouse San Diego Clubhouse RECAPS Cleveland 12 Baltimore 11
Pittsburgh 8
| |||||