Padres Lose in Extra Innings

The San Diego Padres lost to the Dodgers for the second consecutive night, both wins for LA coming in their final at bat. This game went extra innings as Ben Howard matched Kevin Brown in his effectiveness.

Ben Howard was so dominant; he retired 19 of the 20 batters he faced after a Shawn Green home run. Howard struck out five and did not walk a batter. He allowed one run on two hits in seven innings.

Kevin Brown was just the opposite. He pitched six shutout innings before the Padres were able to score upon him in the seventh. He ended the day allowing one run on five hits in seven innings.

Mark Kotsay hit a triple to the gap in right and scored on a Ramon Vasquez single to tie the game up at one.

In the eleventh, Dave Roberts led off with a walk off Jay Witasick (3-6). Green followed with a single that moved Roberts to third. Jolbert Cabrera then looped a ball into shallow right field off Mike Matthews that eluded the diving Gary Matthews Jr. to score Roberts.

Paul Shuey (6-4) go the win in relief and Eric Gagne finished off the game with his 55th save, tying John Smoltz's NL record and good for second all-time behind Bobby Thigpen's 57 for the Chicago White Sox in 1990.

Notes:

The Friars had seven hits in the game, four of them coming from Ramon Vasquez. That tied a career high for Vasquez.

Humberto Quintero went 0-3 and saw his average drop to .238.

Brian Giles had two stolen bases or more than he had all year long.

It took Howard just 78 pitches to mow through the Dodgers in his seven innings of work.

The Padres are 23-31 since the return of Phil Nevin.

Khalil Greene was held out of the lineup again on Wednesday for a bruised hip. He is expected to be in the lineup Thursday.

Denis Savage can be reached at [e-mail]