Two third basemen team up to lead Padres in rout

By: DAN HAYES - Staff Writer   | Wednesday, August 15, 2007 6:05 AM PDT ∞

Kevin Kouzmanoff, right, is congratulated by teammates after hitting a home run in the second inning against the Rockies
Jamie Scott Lytle
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SAN DIEGO ---- Manager Bud Black started both Morgan Ensberg and Kevin Kouzmanoff against the Colorado Rockies, and it paid big dividends for the Padres on Tuesday night.

Ensberg, a third basemen who made his first major league start at first base, homered in the first inning and drove in a pair of runs, and Kouzmanoff ---- the Padres' regular third baseman ---- tied a career high with three hits and had three RBIs as the Padres beat the surging Rockies 8-0 in front of 32,049 at Petco Park.

The offensive outburst, which included 17 baserunners, and 5 2/3 shutout innings by Greg Maddux (8-9) was plenty for the right-hander to earn his first victory since June 27 and end an eight-start winless streak.

Maddux combined with relievers Cla Meredith, Joe Thatcher and Doug Brocail for the Padres' 17th shutout, tying them with the 1972 and 1984 clubs for the second-highest total in franchise history. The 1985 team had 19 shutouts.

The Padres moved within two games of first-place Arizona , which lost 14-5 at Florida, in the National League West.

But the real story was an offense that produced eight hits and nine walks, and scored six runs in the second inning against Jeff Francis (13-6). Francis, who hadn' t lost since June 8, left after 3 1/3 innings with eight runs allowed on six hits and six walks.

"It felt good to hit the ball squarely," said Ensberg, who had played all but two innings at third base since 2000. "It was just nice to get out ahead and have them play catch up. That's really important, especially down the stretch, to put the pressure on them."

Strong against the rest of the league ---- he's 13-4 with a 3.70 ERA this year ---- Francis has yet to figure out the Padres. The left-hander is 0-2 with an 11.18 ERA in three starts this season and 4-9 in 14 career starts.

The eight runs allowed tied Francis' career high and was the most he'd allowed since Aug. 11, 2005. On April 21, the Padres reached Francis for a career-worst 13 hits.

"We had good pitch selection and we saw the ball," Black said. "We stuck our nose in there and had good at-bats. Francis is a guy who has been pitching very well. ... He's always in the zone. He was just off the plate a little tonight."

And the Padres were ready to take advantage.

Ensberg started the scoring with a solo homer, his third since joining the Padres. Kouzmanoff led off the second inning with a 418-foot homer to center field, and Josh Bard and Geoff Blum followed with walks. Francis retired Marcus Giles and Maddux, who bunted the runners over, but walked Brian Giles and then Ensberg with the bases loaded to force in a run. Mike Cameron lined with a two-run single to make it 5-0.

"Everything that could have went right, went right," Maddux said. "Cammy kind of put some breathing room out there. ... I thought some of the best at-bats were the guys that walked."

Khalil Greene joined in the walk parade, and Kouzmanoff followed with an excuse-me, two-run single to short right field for a 7-0 lead.

"We strung some hits together," Kouzmanoff said. "It's contagious. I think we were patient and had some good at-bats."

Maddux forced the Rockies into some bad ones en route to the 341st win of his career, moving him within one of Tim Keefe for sixth in baseball history.

He threw strikes on 66 of 91 pitches and scattered eight hits, stranding a pair of runners in the first, third and fourth innings. He appeared to have avoided another jam in the sixth with an inning-ending double play, but first-base umpire Dan Iassogna ruled that Maddux's foot wasn't on the bag.

Meredith entered and needed one pitch to retire Troy Tulowitzki with runners at the corners.

"It's good momentum going into the rest of the series," Kouzmanoff said.

 

Contact staff writer Dan Hayes at dhayes@nctimes.com. Comment at sports.nctimes.com.