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Padres go for season-high streak in test with Giants

Sat 31st, May 2008

(Sports Network) - The San Diego Padres take aim at their first three-game win streak of the season in this afternoon's clash with the San Francisco Giants from AT&T Park.

The Padres own the second-worst record in the National League at 22-34, but the expected contenders have been showing signs of a turnaround as of late. San Diego has posted victories in four of its last five contests, and the team's struggling offense broke out for four runs in the 13th inning in a 7-3 triumph over the division-rival Giants during Friday's opener of this three-game series.

San Diego took advantage of Billy Sadler's wildness in the top of the 13th. Khalil Greene drew a bases-loaded walk against the San Francisco reliever to snap a 3-3 deadlock, then Sadler hit Michael Barrett with a pitch to force in another run. Justin Huber later added some breathing run with a two-RBI single off Vinnie Chulk to give the Padres a four-run advantage.

The big inning made a winner out of newcomer Cha Seung Baek, who struck out the side in the top of the 13th in his Padres debut. San Diego acquired the Korean right-hander in a trade with Seattle on Wednesday.

Brian Giles also knocked in a pair of runs for San Diego and finished 2-for-4 with two runs scored on the evening.

San Francisco, which was coming off an impressive three-game road sweep of NL West leader Arizona, received two hits and an RBI from both Randy Winn and John Bowker. Starting pitcher Matt Cain gave the Giants seven solid innings in which he permitted three runs and struck out six while walking just one.

Friday's contest also featured a triple play by San Francisco in the top of the eighth inning. With runners on first and second, the Padres' Kevin Kouzmanoff hit a sharp grounder to Giants third baseman Jose Castillo, who quickly stepped on the bag and fired to second for the force. Ray Durham's throw to first then easily beat Kouzmanoff to finish off the rare feat.

It was the first triple play completed by the Giants since a June 14, 1999 contest at Colorado, and the first at home by the team since Oct. 3, 1980, against San Diego at Candlestick Park.

Josh Banks will make his first start as a Padre this afternoon after delivering two strong showings out of the bullpen last weekend. The rookie right-hander worked a pair of scoreless innings in a 7-2 loss to Cincinnati on May 24, then earned his first major league win by firing six shutout frames in San Diego's 12-9, 18-inning triumph over the Reds the following day.

Banks was recalled from Triple-A Portland on May 22 to take the rotation spot of the injured Chris Young. The Padres claimed the 24-year-old off waivers from Toronto on April 23.

A second-round selection by the Blue Jays in the 2003 draft, Banks pitched in three games for Toronto last September, including one start.

Patrick Misch, who gets the starting assignment for San Francisco, is still in search of his first big league victory after nine starts and 16 relief appearances with the Giants. The left-hander has endured his share of troubles since being promoted from Triple-A in late April, having amassed a lackluster 6.54 earned run average in five starts and one outing in relief.

Home runs have been Misch's biggest problem. The 26-year-old has served up 10 long balls in 31 2/3 innings so far this year and gave up three homers in Sunday's 8-6 loss at Florida. He allowed seven runs overall during the rough 4 1/3-inning stint and also walked four Marlins before exiting.

Misch made a pair of starts against San Diego last season and surrendered 10 runs along with 16 hits over a span of 9 1/3 innings. In his most recent matchup with the Padres, the struggling southpaw was rocked for eight runs in 4 1/3 innings in a loss at AT&T Park last September.

The Giants had won four of five showdowns with San Diego this season prior to Friday's setback. However, the Padres won 14 of the 18 encounters between the division foes in 2007 and were 6-3 at AT&T Park last year.

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