Hoffman blows save, Giants rally in 13th inning to beat Padres 3-2
By BERNIE WILSON | Associated Press | Apr 24, 08 1:07 AM CDT in
Sports
Trevor Hoffman blew another save and the San Francisco Giants went on to beat the slumping San Diego Padres 3-2 in 13 innings on Wednesday night.
Rookie Emmanuel Burriss doubled leading off the 13th and scored the go-ahead run on Fred Lewis' single. The Giants' rally came four innings after Hoffman couldn't hold the lead for what would have been Greg Maddux's 350th career victory.
It was San Diego's first home game since a 2-1 loss in 22 innings to the Colorado Rockies on Thursday night. The Padres have lost seven of eight and dropped into a tie with the Giants for last place in the NL West.
Burriss, whose contract was purchased from Triple-A Fresno on Sunday, doubled to right opening the 13th off Glendon Rusch (0-2), who also was the loser in Thursday night's marathon. Lewis singled to short center and Burriss beat Scott Hairston's throw home to give the Giants a 2-1 lead. Aaron Rowand singled in Lewis with two outs.
The Padres loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the inning against Brian Wilson before rookie Colt Morton hit a sacrifice fly for his first RBI. Khalil Greene flied out to center and Josh Bard walked to load the bases again. Tadahito Iguchi forced Bard to end the game.
Wilson got his sixth save in seven chances. Keiichi Yabu (2-1) pitched two-thirds of an inning for the win.
After Brian Giles hit an RBI single off Matt Cain with one out in the fifth, four Giants pitchers retired 19 straight batters until Adrian Gonzalez singled to right off Merkin Valdez with two outs in the 11th. Kevin Kouzmanoff followed with a single to right to move Gonzalez to third, but rookie Callix Crabbe flied out to left.
Hoffman allowed Bengie Molina's homer to left field with one out in the ninth to tie it at 1. Hoffman's save chances have become adventures. He's blown two in six opportunities and his ERA has risen to 8.22.
Hoffman wasted a brilliant effort by Maddux, who was trying for the second start to become the ninth pitcher in big league history to reach 350 wins.
Maddux, 42, was much sharper against the Giants than he was Friday night, when he allowed a career-high nine earned runs in a 9-0 loss at NL West-leading Arizona. Mad Dog allowed four hits _ including three doubles _ in seven innings, struck out five and walked none. He retired 14 batters by groundout.
Molina's homer got right-hander Cain off the hook for a loss, although the right-hander's winless streak reached 10 starts. He hasn't won since Aug. 28.
The Padres had four straight singles off Cain opening the fifth, although Bard was thrown out trying to stretch his leadoff hit into a double. After Iguchi singled to left with one out, Maddux showed bunt but then swung away, slapping a single to left. Giles then singled to right to score Iguchi. Giles had been hitless in his previous 16 at-bats against Cain.
Cain also went seven, allowing one run and five hits. He struck out seven and walked three.
Notes:@ Cain also allowed nine runs in his last start. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, it was the sixth time two starting pitchers matched up after having given up at least nine runs in their previous starts. The only other such matchup in the last 70 years was Andy Benes of St. Louis against Osvaldo Fernandez of Cincinnati on June 4, 2001.
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.