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The
San Diego Padres
changed their luck against the
Philadelphia Phillies
with one swing.
One night after ending an 11-game losing streak to the Phillies with a ninth-inning homer, the Padres look to win a series
against them for the first time in nearly four years as the teams close a three-game set on Thursday.
Khalil Greene
's three-run homer in the top of the ninth off Philadelphia closer
Tom Gordon
gave San Diego a 6-3 victory on Wednesday. It was the team's first win over the Phillies since May 23, 2004.
The Padres (44-40), whose losing streak to the Phillies had reached 11 games with a 6-5 defeat on Tuesday, have not won a
series with Philadelphia since Aug. 6-8, 2002. Since winning twice during that three-game set, San Diego has lost five series
and tied one against the Phillies.
Greene took over the team lead with 45 RBIs and notched his fifth multihit effort in his last 10 games, raising his batting
average to .231. He hasn't been above .240 since April 13.
''He's a dangerous hitter,'' San Diego manager
Bruce Bochy
said. ''Even though you look at his average, he can beat you with a single or the long ball.''
The Padres ended a three-game losing streak, and now look for starter
Chan Ho Park
to provide a quality start after
Jake Peavy
did just that with seven strong innings Wednesday.
Park (5-4, 4.32 ERA) is 6-2 with a 3.00 ERA in 14 career appearances, including eight starts, against the Phillies.
The right-hander heads into July after having his best month of the year, going 3-1 with a 3.76 ERA in six starts during June,
but has been victimized by home runs lately.
Park served up three for the second straight start on Friday, his 33rd birthday, though he did provide the bullpen a break
by lasting eight innings against San Francisco a day after the Padres played a 14-inning game. Park allowed five runs and
avoided suffering his second consecutive defeat when San Diego scored twice in the ninth to win 6-5.
The Phillies (38-45) counter with
Ryan Madson
, the former reliever who is coming off the longest outing of his four-year career.
Madson (8-5, 5.71) nearly pitched his first shutout on Thursday, allowing five hits and matching a career high with seven
strikeouts in 8 2-3 innings of a 4-0 victory at Baltimore.
''He deserved to finish that game, and in my mind he finished that game,'' said Gordon, who recorded the final out. ''It gave
us everything we needed - and more - and got us a win.''
Six days earlier, Madson failed to get out of the second inning as he gave up six runs in a 10-2 loss at Boston. He's alternated
wins and losses in his last five starts.
Madson has come out of the bullpen in all seven of his appearances against the Padres, who have hit .414 against him. However,
he's 1-0 with a 4.05 ERA against San Diego.
Opposing batters have hit .338 against Madson at Citizens Bank Park, where he's allowed 31 runs in 35 1-3 innings.
Madson is hoping to help the Phillies avoid losing their eighth consecutive series.
Chase Utley
can't be blamed for Philadelphia's recent struggles. He had an RBI double Wednesday to extend his hitting streak to 11 games,
batting .396 with four homers and nine RBIs during that stretch.
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