Padres Use Pirates Plan Against Them

Friars Use Two Early Runs To Win

On Friday night in Pittsburgh the Padres scored one run in the first inning, the Pirates scored two runs in the first inning, and that was it for the night's scoring.

So, the Friars thought they'd try that course of action for themselves on Saturday night. The Padres scored twice in the first, the Bucs got one in the first, and that was it for the night's scoring.

Second baseman Jedd Gyorko lined a bases loaded single to center to score Everth Cabrera and Yasmani Grandal hit a sacrifice fly to account for San Diego's other run.

Eric Stults made it stand up with his second straight fantastic start. After giving up a run on a Russell Martin single, Stults buckled down and threw 6.1 innings, striking out six and earning his fifth win of the season.

He had help from that tremendous Padres bullpen, too.

Alex Torres, Nick Vincent, Kevin Quackenbush and Joaquin Benoit followed Stults to keep the 1-run margin intact. Benita got his 5th save of the season, but Quackenbush showed some guts in the 8th inning.

Jody Mercer and Martin (who had two hits) led off the inning with hits, putting runners at second and third with nobody out. Quackenbush got the next three hitters, Ike Davis, Starling Marte and Gregory Polanco, with no damage being done.

The Padres can win the series from the Pirates, who entered the weekend with the best home record in the National League, on Sunday behind All-Star Tyson Ross.

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