Peavy allowed three runs in six innings, but received unusual offensive support as the
San Diego Padres scored a season high in runs in a 12-6 victory and dealt the
Baltimore Orioles their ninth consecutive loss Tuesday night.
The Orioles lost for the 14th time in 16 games and for the first time under interim manager Dave Trembley, who replaced the fired
Sam Perlozzo on Monday.
Khalil Greene and
Marcus Giles each drove in three runs. Greene tied his career high with four hits, and the Padres broke the game open with a six-run sixth inning to take an 11-3 lead.
The Padres, last in the NL with a .244 team batting average, scored 12 runs to follow up an 11-3 win at the
Chicago Cubs in their last game Sunday.
''It's nice to put a three-spot on the board for Peav,'' said Giles, who hit a three-run homer in the second. ''I'm not a gambling man, but I like our chances with a 3-0 lead and Peavy on the mound.''
Peavy (9-1) took a 5-0 lead into the sixth before he allowed three runs. The right-hander escaped from a big jam after the Orioles had cut the lead to 5-3 and had the bases loaded. But Peavy struck out
Paul Bako on a 93 mph fastball to end the threat.
''I felt comfortable with the match-up with Bako,'' Peavy said. ''I had a good history with him.''
Peavy continued his standout season as he is now leading or tied for the lead in three major NL pitching categories. He moved into a tie with Philadelphia's
Cole Hamels and the Dodgers'
Brad Penny for the lead in victories. Peavy also passed Hamels for the league lead in strikeouts with 107.
Despite allowing three or more earned runs for the third time in four starts, Peavy maintained his NL lead as his ERA moved from 1.82 to 1.98.
The Padres' right-hander is pitching like the guy who led the NL in ERA in 2004 and in strikeouts in 2005.
''I honestly can't remember 2004 or 2005,'' the 26-year-old said. ''I know I had some good runs at it, but I've felt good this whole season.''
Giles hit his homer off
Steve Trachsel (5-5) into the short porch in right field. Greene, who hit a one-out solo homer in the fourth off Trachsel, capped the Padres' six-run sixth inning with a two-run single.
''It was a fastball off the plate, not even a strike,'' said Trachsel of the home run pitch to Giles. ''A routine fly ball but it found the fence 320 feet away.''
Peavy allowed six hits and walked two with seven strikeouts.
Trachsel gave up five runs on six hits in 4 2-3 innings. The right-hander struck out five and walked three.
Miguel Tejada drove in three runs for Baltimore. Tejada singled in a run in the sixth when the Orioles scored three times on Peavy. He added a two-run double off
Justin Hampson in the seventh.
''I thought our approach was a lot better, but the results were not what we were looking for,'' Trembley said.
Baltimore threatened in the sixth when
Freddie Bynum led off by getting hit by a pitch. With one out,
Corey Patterson singled and
Nick Markakis walked to load the bases. Tejada singled in one run before
Melvin Mora made the score 5-3 with a two-out single.
Peavy then walked pinch-hitter
Jay Gibbons to lead the bases again before he struck out Bako on his 100th pitch.
Jose Cruz Jr.,
Adrian Gonzalez and
Mike Cameron had consecutive RBI singles in the sixth as the Padres scored six runs.
Russell Branyan got hit with a pitch with the bases loaded before Greene's two-run single to give San Diego an 11-3 lead.
Josh Bard added an RBI single in the eighth.
Notes: Baltimore (29-41) dropped a season-high 12 games under .500. ... Peavy hasn't allowed a home run in 75 innings, the top current mark in the majors.