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Thursday, Aug. 3 5:05pm ET
Rookie's two-run double boosts Padres | |||||
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GAME LOG
SAN DIEGO (AP) -- Eric Owens gave the San Diego Padres an early lift with another big day at the plate. Still, he deflected praise to the rookie who delivered the game-winning hit. Mike Darr hit a two-run double in the eighth inning to lift the Padres over the Chicago Cubs 6-5 Thursday for their season-high fifth straight victory. "In his first three at-bats, he didn't look very good. But it's a nine-inning game and he came through," Owens said. "These young guys are coming up here and proving themselves. When that door opens, you've got to knock it down." Owens hit a three-run homer for the Padres and finished 3-for-4 for his fifth straight multihit game. Over that span, he's gone 13-for-23. "Right now we say that we're building toward next year but anything can happen," Owens said. "There are two months left. We just have to go out hard every day. This was fun, to get the win." Phil Nevin opened the San Diego eighth with a single off Tim Worrell (1-3) and pinch-runner Damian Jackson stole second on the next pitch. After Ben Davis singled, Darr doubled to center field to put the Padres ahead. Darr, who was recalled from Triple-A Las Vegas on Monday, had flied out twice and struck out earlier in the game. "I have confidence in myself, that I know that I can do the next time," Darr said. "I'm not the kind of player who's going to snap. I just go up there and play the game." Kevin Walker (4-0) went two innings for win and Trevor Hoffman pitched the ninth for his 27th save in 33 chances. Sammy Sosa doubled twice for the Cubs, who are 15-6 since the All-Star break. But Hoffman struck him out to end a perfect ninth. "He got me on a changeup," Sosa said. "On that, you've really got to tip your hat to him." The Cubs came back from a 4-0 deficit to move ahead 5-4 in the sixth against Brian Tollberg on Ricky Gutierrez's RBI single. He went 3-for-5 with two RBI. Chicago's Phil Norton made his major league debut and gave up four runs -- three earned -- and five hits in five innings. He was recalled on Monday from Triple-A Iowa, where he was 6-11 with a 5.20 ERA. "I just calmed down," Norton said. "Some of the guys told me to just go out and throw. I did that and I was able to put up three zeros in my last three innings to keep us in the game." Cubs manager Don Baylor said Norton, who allowed four runs in the first two innings, will likely be sent down after this start since this was a temporary promotion. "He had to be a little nervous in his major league debut, not knowing the players," Baylor said. "He could have packed it in but he ended up with a chance to win although we couldn't hold it for him." Owens gave the Padres a 4-0 lead in the second with his fifth homer of the season, which came on the first pitch after Tollberg singled for his first major league hit. The Padres scored in the first for the third straight game, when Ryan Klesko came home on a passed ball by Jeff Reed with the bases loaded. Norton gave up a single and two walks in the inning. Chicago rallied for three runs in the third on five consecutive hits, including three doubles. Sosa hit his second double of the game to score the fist run and Mark Grace followed with a two-run double. Eric Young tied it at 4 in the fourth when he reached base on a force out, stole second and came home a single by Gutierrez. Norton led off the inning with his first major league hit. Game notesNorton started in place of Kerry Wood, who was sidelined by cramps in his left side. Norton was the third straight rookie pitcher to start for Chicago, following Daniel Garibay and Ruben Quevedo. ... RHP Jay Witasick, acquired from Kansas City on Monday, is scheduled to make his first San Diego start on Friday. He will become the 49th player to play for the Padres this season, breaking the club record set in 1991. ... Gary Matthews Jr., obtained from San Diego on March 23, made his first appearance against his former club and went 1-for-4. | ALSO SEE Baseball Scoreboard Chicago Cubs Clubhouse San Diego Clubhouse RECAPS NY Yankees 3 Kansas City 2
San Diego 6 AUDIO/VIDEO   An optimistic Eric Owens feels the Padres are building some chemistry.wav: 135 k RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6 Trevor Hoffman and the Padres were in need of some positive change.wav: 110 k RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6 | |||||