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PHOENIX (AP) -
Jake Peavy
's monthlong stay on the disabled list is fading into memory.
Peavy threw seven scoreless innings and
Scott Hairston
homered twice in the
San Diego Padres
' 4-2 victory over the slumping
Arizona Diamondbacks
on Saturday night.
''I was definitely better than I had been my previous couple of starts,'' said Peavy, sidelined for just under a month in
May and June with the sore elbow. ''I'm getting back to where if I have decent stuff I'm going to do much better than I have.''
Adrian Gonzalez
also homered for the Padres, who have won two straight after dropping 10 of their previous 11.
Stephen Drew
homered for the Diamondbacks, who lost for the fifth time in eight games to fall two games under .500 for the first time this
season.
''It's just kind of the same old theme here,'' Arizona manager
Bob Melvin
said. ''They get a couple of runs and we have a hard time coming back. We just have to start playing better. We have to start
scoring runs, getting some good at-bats and getting a different feeling from the group. We don't have as confident a look
in our eye.''
Peavy (6-5) allowed just three hits, walked two and struck out six. After walking
Miguel Montero
with one out in the second, the reigning Cy Young Award winner retired the next 14 batters.
''I battled through the first two but then I found my groove and did what I do best, which is throwing strikes and staying
ahead of the hitters,'' Peavy said.
Trevor Hoffman
allowed Drew's one-out homer into the Padres' right-field bullpen in the ninth and a two-out single to Montero before recording
his 16th save.
Arizona starter
Doug Davis
(3-4) gave up seven hits in a season-high eight innings. He couldn't overcome the two pitches thrown to Hairston.
''If you're going against somebody like Peavy you've got to put zeros up there,'' Davis said. ''You know it's going to be
a low-scoring game with Peavy out there. It was just two mistakes and Scotty's a guy where if you leave something up in the
zone he's not going to miss it.''
Luke Carlin
led off the third inning with a single and Hairston followed one out later with a home run into the spa beyond the fence in
right-center to give San Diego a 2-0 lead.
Hairston led off the sixth with his second homer, a fly a half-dozen rows into the left-field stands.
''When you come back against a former team you want to do well,'' said Hairston, traded by Arizona to San Diego last July
27. ''I think I didn't perform to my capabilities when I was given a chance (in Arizona). There you have it. If it's anybody's
fault, it's mine.''
Hairston has two two-homer games this season.
''Scotty's one of those guys that when he gets hot, he gets hot,'' said Padres manager
Bud Black
. ''Last night he pinch-hit and got the double and he carried it over to today with three straight hits.''
Arizona scored in the eighth when
Alex Romero
singled to left and
Orlando Hudson
hit his second double of the game into the left-field corner.
Gonzalez made it 4-1 in the ninth when he homered off
Tony Pena
.
Drew's homer pulled Arizona back within two in the ninth.
The Diamondbacks, who entered 13th in the NL in hitting, stranded four runners the first two innings.
Peavy opened the game with consecutive strikeouts before Hudson doubled and
Conor Jackson
walked. But Peavy retired
Chad Tracy
on a high popup in foul territory off third base to end the inning.
In the second,
Chris Young
hit a one-out double and Montero walked but Davis popped up a sacrifice attempt and Peavy struck out
Emilio Bonifacio
.
''I just can't stand giving up runs early and getting down early,'' said Peavy, who needed 48 pitches the first two innings
and 59 the rest of the way. ''You feel like you're digging yourself out of a hole the rest of the night.''
Notes: Hoffman has allowed seven homers in 28 innings. ... Arizona reliever
Juan Cruz
left in the ninth with a strained left oblique after throwing three pitches to Gonzalez. Melvin said the right-hander may
be headed for the disabled list. ... Hairston also hit two homers April 29 at Philadelphia. ... Peavy snapped a two-game losing
streak against Arizona and raised his career record against the Diamondbacks to 11-10. ... Hudson pulled up limping halfway
between first and second on his double with an apparent right leg injury but remained in the game. ... After starting the
season 17-5 against the NL West, the Diamondbacks have lost five of their last eight division games.
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