PADRES: Club steals one from Diamondbacks

Headley's stolen base fuels unlikely sweep of Arizona

By DAN HAYES - Staff Writer | Thursday, August 28, 2008 12:23 AM PDT ∞

The Padres' Nick Hundley rounds the bases after hitting a home run off Arizona pitcher Randy Johnson in the seventh inning. (Photo by Jamie Scott Lytle - Staff Photographer)

SAN DIEGO ---- The stolen base isn't the top weapon in Chase Headley's arsenal, nor in the Padres'. Speed might not even qualify as the rookie's second- or third-best asset.

But that didn't stop Headley from stepping on the gas pedal in the eighth inning of a tie game at Petco Park on Wednesday afternoon. Shortly after Headley swiped second base, Jody Gerut drove him in with a go-ahead single before Trevor Hoffman closed out a 5-4 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks in front of 24,563.

Headley's second stolen base of the season ---- the team's 30th ---- was the final act in an improbable series sweep over the first-place Diamondbacks. The Padres defeated Arizona's three best pitchers ---- Dan Haren, Brandon Webb and Randy Johnson ---- and rallied from 4-0 deficit entering the seventh inning Wednesday.

His second stolen base in 20 days led the Padres ---- who have 15 fewer steals than their franchise low of 45 set in 1969 ---- to their third straight win, but Headley doesn't plan to change his approach on the basepaths.

"I'm going to look to run when it's a good opportunity to try and get myself in scoring position," Headley said. "... It was nice to play a series like we did. A win the first day can kind of turn the momentum, and we played very well yesterday. Today we never gave up. ... We were able to battle and keep scratching, and that's how you win."

It took everything the Padres had to claw back, as they trailed 4-3 going into the eighth inning. Brian Giles led off with a pinch-hit single and advanced to second base on Luis Rodriguez's sacrifice bunt. Chad Qualls (2-8) struck out Kevin Kouzmaoff before Headley lined an inside pitch to right field for a single to tie the game.

A pickoff attempt and two pitches later, Headley took off and easily slid in ahead of Miguel Montero's throw. Gerut's third hit in four at-bats gave the Padres a 5-4 lead.

"We feel if a guy is aggressive and feels it, he should have the freedom to run," Padres manager Bud Black said. "That time, Chase was on his own and he stole a big base. ... For a greater part of the season, we've talked about manufacturing runs. Our situational hitting needed to improve. Today, it showed up, and when it does, you can come back."

The Padres had been only 3-60 this season when trailing after six innings. But Gerut tripled with one out in the seventh against Johnson, who entered with a 4-2 record and a 1.52 ERA in his last seven starts. Edgar Gonzalez then singled in a run ahead of Nick Hundley, who launched a hanging slider into the left-field bleachers to cut Arizona's lead to 4-3.

It was Hundley's third home run, and first since July 28.

"He's got such good stuff that I'm just trying to get in good counts and get good pitches to hit," Hundley said. "If you don't get the one he gives you, it's going to be real tough. ... We knew coming in he was throwing the ball really well. The stuff he had was electric."

Hoffman's stuff wasn't bad, either. Same for Mike Adams (2-3), who earned the win, and starting pitcher Cha Seung Baek. Hoffman struck out the side in the ninth inning after Adams pitched a perfect eighth.

Making his third start against Arizona, Baek improved on his last outing, in which he allowed five runs and didn't survive the fifth inning. Focusing on pitching low in the strike zone, Baek left with the score 1-0 after 5 2/3 innings and a runner on first base.

Clay Hensley relieved him and allowed a triple, double, single and walk before exiting with the score 4-0.

 

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