Padres Use Long Ball to Win

David Wells got a standing ovation for outdueling Randy Johnson.

He didn’t get a decision, though.

With closer Trevor Hoffman unavailable after pitching in four of the previous five games, Akinori Otsuka blew a one-run lead in the ninth. Terrence Long then homered with one out in the bottom of the inning to give the San Diego Padres a 4-3 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday night in San Diego.

“It was a battle of the 40-year-olds and nobody won,” Wells said after the matchup between left-handers who’ve thrown perfect games. “We both got no-decisions, but still it was a great-pitched game. You’re always going to expect a good one out of Randy.”

Wells has gotten terrible run support in his first season pitching for the Padres. He has three no-decisions and three losses in his last six starts. His earned-run average is 3.01.

“Runs have been scarce,” Wells said. “They got me three runs tonight and I figured that would be enough.”

Long drove a 1-2 curveball from Elmer Dessens (1-5) off the right-field foul pole for his first homer.

Wells left in the seventh with a 3-1 lead, but the Diamondbacks added a run that inning and then tied the score in the ninth on Alex Cintron’s single as Otsuka (5-2) blew a save chance. Arizona, which lost its season-high sixth in a row, had three singles off Otsuka in the ninth.

Wells stayed in the game after getting hit on the left forearm by a pitch from Johnson with one out in the seventh. Wells threw his bat down and grimaced as he jogged to first base.

“I tell you what, if I face him again, I’ll go right-handed, because it’s not fun from the left side,” Wells said. “But I think I looked a little bit better than John Kruk.”

Florida 6, Atlanta 0 -- Brad Penny (7-5) pitched six innings and Jeff Conine homered for the first time in more than a month as the Marlins cruised to victory at Miami.

The Braves have lost six of seven to fall six games under .500 for the first time since 1990.

St. Louis 10, Chicago 9 -- So Taguchi scored the go-ahead run on Paul Bako’s passed ball in the eighth inning and the Cardinals improved to 28-8 at home against the Cubs since the start of the 2000 season.

Cincinnati 6, New York 4 -- The Reds’ Sean Casey hit a game-winning two-run homer in the 12th inning at New York. Casey had two home runs among his five hits.

Pittsburgh 7, Houston 2 -- Ryan Vogelsong (2-7) gave up only two hits in six innings and Jason Kendall hit his first career grand slam at Houston as the Pirates ended a five-game losing streak.

Colorado 3, Milwaukee 2 -- Starter Shawn Estes (8-3) had a run-scoring double and reliever Shawn Chacon worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the ninth inning for his 14th save as the Rockies ended an eight-game road losing streak.

Philadelphia 5, Montreal 2 -- Jim Thome hit his major league-leading 24th home run and Kevin Millwood won for the first time in eight starts as the Phillies won at Montreal.