Padres power past Dodgers

Sep 12, 2007, 5:24 GMT

Los Angeles, CA - Brian Giles, Khalil Greene and Kevin Kouzmanoff hit home runs during an early six-run offensive explosion, more than enough for ace Jake Peavy, as San Diego clubbed Los Angeles, 9-4, at Chavez Ravine.

Peavy (17-6) was the beneficiary, improving to 9-1 in 18 career starts against the Dodgers and 3-0 this season. The National League Cy Young Award candidate is 7-0 over his last 12 starts against NL West opponents after giving up two runs on five hits with five strikeouts and two walks over seven frames.

'I was able to execute pitches,' said Peavy. 'I was able to pick and choose my spots. You can't say enough about our offense.'

San Diego moved 2 1/2 games behind Arizona in the National League West, and the same distance separates the Padres in front of Philadelphia in the wild card race. The Dodgers dropped 3 1/2 games behind San Diego in the race for the wild card.

'Jake was on tonight,' Padres manager Bud Black said. 'That was the Jake we've seen most of the season.'

Esteban Loaiza (1-1) was wild early, walking three of the game's first four batters before Greene's sacrifice fly scored Giles and Kouzmanoff's base hit plated Geoff Blum.

Josh Bard singled with one out in the second and walked home on Giles' two-run shot. Greene and Kouzmanoff went back to back in the third, foreshadowing the end of Loaiza's outing.

The right-hander lasted a little longer, but gave up six runs on six hits with four walks and five strikeouts over 3 1/3 frames.

James Loney homered and finished 3-for-5 and Jeff Kent also collected three hits and drove in a run for the Dodgers, losers in two of three.

The Dodgers got a run back on Loney's solo home run in the bottom of the third and another on three straight hits in the sixth. Juan Pierre doubled, advanced to third on Loney's single and scored on Kent's base hit. Peavy escaped further trouble by inducing Luis Gonzalez's fly out and Russell Martin's double play.

San Diego added to its 6-2 lead with a three-spot in the seventh. Blum hit a one-out solo shot before a Mike Cameron single. Greene and Kouzmanoff each walked, with Cameron scoring as ball four to Kouzmanoff got away from Martin. Brady Clark's ensuing single to right plated Greene for the 9-2 edge.

Los Angeles scored a run in the eighth on Loney's RBI single and another in the bottom of the ninth on Chin-Lu Hu's first major-league hit, a solo home run.

Game Notes

Peavy has won eight of his last nine decisions...Greene now has 80 RBI on the season...Cameron stole his 17th base of the season...The Padres have won eight of their last 10 meetings against the Dodgers...Loaiza fell to 1-4 lifetime against San Diego...Attendance 51,620.

© 2007 The Sports Network

Game Notes

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