PHILADELPHIA -Vicente Padilla got all the important outs, and Bobby Abreu added a couple of clutch hits.
Now the last-place Phillies can only hope similar efforts will carry them heading into their toughest stretch of the year.
Padilla pitched six scoreless innings for his first win of the season and was backed by solo homers from Chase Utley and Abreu in Philadelphia's 4-3 win over the Cincinnati Reds yesterday.
Padilla (1-4) tossed four-hit balls in his longest outing of the season to earn his first win since Sept. 29. Padilla wasn't particularly sharp -he threw 96 pitches and tied a career high with six walks, but he worked out of a couple of jams to help the Phillies split the four-game series.
Padilla's struggled the last few starts and I think a game like this will help him out
Abreu said. He threw a very good six innings.
Billy Wagner pitched the final 1 1-3 innings for his ninth save in 10 chances. The Reds added two runs in the ninth on Sean Casey's RBI single and a sacrifice fly by Ken Griffey Jr. but Wagner struck out Adam Dunn to end the game with the tying run on first.
Right now things aren't coming easy Wagner said.
That includes the schedule. The Phillies start a 12-game stretch on Tuesday with games against three first-place teams (St. Louis, Baltimore and Atlanta), and one second-place club (Florida).
We've got to start to make a move and get some wins
Wagner said.
Padilla started the season on the disabled list while recovering from right triceps tendinitis and pitched poorly since returning to the rotation on April 19. Only twice in five starts did he go five innings. He lowered his ERA from 9.74 to 7.52 yesterday.
I think Padilla's getting better
manager Charlie Manuel said. He threw the ball better today.
Padilla doesn't talk to the media.
His struggles seemed to carry over against the Reds when he gave up a hit and walked two in the first inning. But he escaped without allowing a run when Austin Kearns grounded out.
Padilla opened the fourth inning by walking Dunn and giving up Kearns' seventh double of the year. After an out, Javier Valentin walked to load the bases but Padilla got Reds starter Elizardo Ramirez to hit into an inning-ending double play.
The Philadelphia right-hander allowed a two-out double to D'Angelo Jimenez in the sixth and intentionally walked Valentin. Though Cincinnati trailed 2-0, Reds manager Dave Miley let Ramirez bat. It didn't pay off as the pitcher flied out to left.
Only two runs in five innings
it's hard to hit for a guy
Miley said. He handles the bat a little bit
too.
Ramirez (0-1) worked six innings in his first career start. He struck out four, walked two and gave up seven hits.
He made his major league debut last year with Philadelphia, which traded him to the Reds last season as part of the deal that sent pitcher Cory Lidle to the Phillies.
He was tremendous
Miley said. You couldn't ask for more than that.
The Phillies led 3-0 in the eighth when Griffey singled and Dunn doubled to chase reliever Rheal Cormier. Ryan Madson, who gave up six runs and got just one out on Saturday, retired Kearns on an RBI groundout and recorded the second out before giving way to Wagner.
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