Hairston's home run helps Padres beat Pirates 3-1
PITTSBURGH—Jake Peavy struck out 10 in seven strong innings and Scott Hairston hit a go-ahead home run in the eighth to help the San Diego Padres beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 3-1 on Sunday.
Hairston hit a 2-0 pitch from reliever John Grabow (5-3) into the left-field bleachers for his 17th home run of the season, the third in his last six games.
Peavy (8-6) allowed one run and four hits with three walks. It was the right-hander's second double-digit strikeout game of the season and 26th in his career.
Trevor Hoffman pitched a scoreless ninth for his 21th save in 24 chances.
Josh Bard added a solo home run in the ninth inning and had two hits for San Diego, which took three out of four games from the Pirates. The Padres have won eight straight series in Pittsburgh dating back to 2001.
Pittsburgh's Paul Maholm went seven innings, allowing one run and four hits. The left-hander tied a season-high with nine strikeouts and walked three. Maholm has just one loss in 11 home starts this season.
Both teams were held hitless through the first three innings.
The Padres took a 1-0 lead in the fourth when Bard singled in Adrian Gonzalez, who was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning.
The Pirates tied the game in their half of the fourth. Nate McLouth walked with one out. He stole second and scored on a two-out single from Adam LaRoche.
Pittsburgh second baseman Freddy Sanchez left the game after his at-bat in the first inning with back spasms. Sanchez was injured while trying to beat out a ground ball on a close play at first base. He was replaced by Luis Rivas.
Notes:@ Pittsburgh and San Diego were well represented during Sunday's Hall of Fame inductions in Cooperstown, N.Y. Rich Gossage pitched for the Pirates in 1977 and the Padres from 1984-87. Dick Williams managed San Diego from 1982-85, winning the National League pennant in 1984. Billy Southworth was an outfielder for the Pirates from 1918-20, and longtime Pittsburgh owner Barney Dreyfuss (1900-32) was also among the inductees. ... San Diego's last series loss in Pittsburgh came on July 28-30, 2000, when the Padres lost two out of three games at Three Rivers Stadium. ... San Diego finished 4-7 on an 11-game road trip, its longest of the season. ... Peavy was thrown out trying to steal second base to end the fifth inning. It was the second steal attempt of his career. ... Pirates third baseman Doug Mientkiewicz, who entered the game 4-for-4 lifetime against Peavy with a home run, finished 0-for-2 with two strikeouts and a walk against the starter. The two briefly exchanged words during Mientkiewicz's at-bat in the sixth inning.
