Burnett, Byrd Lead Phillies Over Padres, 5-2
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A.J. Burnett threw 7 1-3 sharp innings, Marlon Byrd hit a three-run homer and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the San Diego Padres 5-2 on Tuesday night.
Back from a 1-5 trip that left them tied with the Cubs for the worst record in the NL, the Phillies opened a six-game homestand with only their 13th win at Citizens Bank Park.
Burnett (4-5) allowed two runs and three hits to earn his first win since May 20. Jonathan Papelbon left the bases loaded in a scoreless ninth to record his 300th career save, becoming the 26th pitcher to reach that mark. He has 14 consecutive saves after blowing his first try.
Will Venable hit a solo homer for San Diego. Starter Ian Kennedy (5-7) gave up five runs and seven hits in seven innings.
Kennedy retired the first nine batters before Ben Revere lined a double to right to start Philadelphia's fourth. Chase Utley's RBI single tied it at 1. After Ryan Howard singled, Byrd hit an opposite-field shot into the seats in right-center field for a 4-1 lead.
Utley and Howard hit consecutive singles before Byrd drove in another run with a sacrifice fly in the sixth to make it 5-1.
That was enough for Burnett, who shook off his recent struggles and was in control throughout. The righty was 1-4 with a 7.25 ERA in his previous six starts. Burnett walked two after issuing 10 in his last two starts.
The Padres took a 1-0 lead in the third when Venable lined a 3-1 pitch into the seats in right for only his second homer in 179 at-bats. Venable hit a career-high 22 homers last season.
The light-hitting Padres entered with the worst batting average in the majors at .218. Carlos Quentin snapped an 0-for-24 slump with a seventh-inning double. But Everth Cabrera (0 for 18) and Jace Peterson (0 for 18) were 0 for 5 to extend their hitless streaks.
Quentin scored on Yonder Alonso's sacrifice fly to cut it to 5-2.
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