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San Diego at Arizona

Scoreboard
San Diego010200002571
Arizona «01140010x790
Diamondbacks 7, Padres 5
 

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PHOENIX -- Roberto Alomar reminded the Arizona Diamondbacks that he's still a part of the team with his first grand slam in nearly four years.

Whether he has many more at-bats as a Diamondback is a good question. And he's not the only one in an Arizona uniform with an uncertain future.

Alomar's big hit powered the Diamondbacks to a 7-5 victory over the San Diego Padres on Thursday night, a game that might have been Bob Brenly's farewell as manager in front of a franchise-low crowd of 22,631.

Diamondbacks chairman Jerry Colangelo held a series of meetings this week with the struggling franchise's front office personnel and ownership. Among the subjects were Brenly's status and the future of veteran players who could be traded or, in Alomar's case, released outright.

Colangelo said he expected decisions to be made by the end of the week.

Brenly said before the game he was aware of the meetings but hadn't been told the outcome. Both he and Alomar said all they could do was keep working hard.

"It's something that is not in my control," Alomar said. "All I can do is go out there and play the game of baseball. That's all I can really do, and whatever happens happens."

The slam -- Alomar's first home run of the season -- came off Ismael Valdez and erased San Diego's 3-2 lead in the fourth inning.

The Diamondbacks, who snapped a club-record 11-game losing streak Wednesday night, split the four-game series with the Padres and won two in a row for the first time since June 10 -- 18 games ago.

The grand slam was the seventh of Alomar's 17-year major league career but his first since Aug. 27, 2000, when he played for Cleveland against Anaheim.

"Four runs on one swing is not something we haven't had a lot of this year," Brenly said. "That's nice when that happens."

Alomar, on the disabled list for 56 games with a broken hand before he was activated June 21, was 5-for-11 in the Padres' series.

"Whew, man, he's some kind of hot I'll tell you," Brenly said. "He's obviously seeing the ball real, real well right now."

Casey Fossum (2-6) got the victory, giving up three runs on a season-low four hits in six innings. He struck out three, walked two and hit a batter.

Mike Koplove came in with the bases loaded and one out in the ninth, and got Terrence Long to pop out before allowing an RBI single to Sean Burroughs and throwing a wild pitch that allowed the Padres to make it 7-5.

Koplove then struck out Mark Loretta looking to end it for his second save.

"You've got to hand it to Koplove there," the Padres' Phil Nevin said. "He just made a heck of a pitch. After throwing two to the backstop, he found the right time to throw a perfect pitch. It's not often you see Mark freeze like that."

Danny Bautista hit a solo home run for Arizona, while Phil Nevin and Miguel Ojeda homered for the Padres.

Valdez (6-5) lost his second straight start. He allowed six runs on six hits in four-plus innings, striking out three and walking four.

"We just got a little too far down there," Padres manager Bruce Bochy said. "Izzy (Valdez) had an off night. That grand slam kind of took a little wind out of our sails. But we did battle back there and had a shot. That's all you can ask."

Nevin's home run, his 12th of the season, just over the outstretched arm of Gonzalez in left put San Diego up 1-0 in the second.

The Diamondbacks tied it in their half of the second, but blew an opportunity for more. Hillenbrand singled, Chad Tracy doubled and Tim Olson walked to load the bases with no outs.

The tying run scored when Juan Brito grounded into a double play.

Arizona took a 2-1 lead on Bautista's two-out homer in the third -- his 10th home run this season.

With two outs in the fourth, Ryan Klesko singled, then Ojeda hit his fourth homer -- to left field on a 1-2 pitch -- to put the Padres ahead 3-2.

Arizona loaded the bases with no outs again in the fourth. Tracy singled, then Olson and Brito walked. Fossum struck out, but Alomar slammed Valdez's 1-0 pitch into the left-field seats to put Arizona up 6-3.

The Diamondbacks added a run in the seventh when Shea Hillenbrand doubled off Jay Payton's glove in center field. Gonzalez, who walked, scored from first -- barely eluding the catcher Ojeda's tag.

Notes

Alomar hit Arizona's second grand slam of the season. Steve Finley hit one on May 11 against the Mets. ... San Diego RHP Jake Peavy comes off the DL on Friday to start at home against Kansas City. Bochy said RHP Brandon Puffer probably will be sent to the minors to make room for Peavy.


AP NEWS
The Associated Press News Service

Copyright 2004, The Associated Press, All Rights Reserved
 
 
 
Players of the Game
Arizona

R. Alomar
AB 5
R 1
H 2
HR 1
RBI 4
San Diego

R. Klesko
AB 4
R 2
H 2
HR 0
RBI 0
 
San Diego Padres
Sean Burroughs, 3B5011000 .300
Mark Loretta, 2B4010112 .319
Brian Giles, RF4000022 .284
Phil Nevin, 1B4111011 .291
Jay Payton, CF3100100 .255
Ryan Klesko, LF4220010 .261
Miguel Ojeda, C3112122 .209
Khalil Greene, SS2010110 .262
Ismael Valdez, P2000013 .080
    Jay Witasick, P0000000 .000
   a- Kerry Robinson, PH1000000 .270
    Scott Linebrink, P0000000 .000
    Brandon Puffer, P0000000 .000
   b- Terrence Long, PH1000003 .267
Totals335744913 
a-grounded out for Witasick in the 7th
b-flied out for Puffer in the 9th
Batting
2B - Ryan Klesko (11, Service), Khalil Greene (16, Fossum)
HR - Phil Nevin (12, Fossum), Miguel Ojeda (3, Fossum)
RBI - Sean Burroughs (24), Phil Nevin (51), Miguel Ojeda 2 (17)
2-OUT RBI - Sean Burroughs (9), Miguel Ojeda 2 (9)
Team LOB - 6
Fielding
DP - Burroughs-Loretta-Nevin
E - Phil Nevin (7, )
San Diego Padres
Ismael Valdez (L,6-5) 4766432 5.06
Jay Witasick 2000010 2.11
Scott Linebrink 1111100 2.38
Brandon Puffer 1100000 5.50
WP - Scott Linebrink (2)
Pitches-Strikes - Ismael Valdez 83-51, Jay Witasick 22-14, Scott Linebrink 24-14, Brandon Puffer 11-9
Ground Balls-Fly Balls - Ismael Valdez 5-3, Jay Witasick 1-4, Brandon Puffer 2-1
Batters Faced - Ismael Valdez 22, Jay Witasick 6, Scott Linebrink 5, Brandon Puffer 4
Arizona Diamondbacks
Roberto Alomar, 2B5124021 .250
Steve Finley, CF4000011 .302
Danny Bautista, RF4111001 .316
Luis Gonzalez, LF2110201 .273
Shea Hillenbrand, 1B4121002 .296
Chad Tracy, 3B4120002 .279
Tim Olson, SS2100201 .220
Juan Brito, C3100100 .191
Casey Fossum, P2000014 .000
   a- Alex Cintron, PH1000000 .240
    Elmer Dessens, P0000000 .083
    Randy Choate, P0000000 .000
   b- Quinton McCracken, PH1010000 .227
    Scott Service, P0000000 .000
    Mike Koplove, P0000000 .000
Totals327965413 
a-flied out for Fossum in the 6th
b-singled for Choate in the 8th
Batting
2B - Roberto Alomar (3, Valdez), Shea Hillenbrand (15, Linebrink), Chad Tracy (13, Valdez)
HR - Roberto Alomar (1, Valdez), Danny Bautista (10, Valdez)
RBI - Roberto Alomar 4 (11), Danny Bautista (48), Shea Hillenbrand (37)
2-OUT RBI - Danny Bautista (17), Shea Hillenbrand (10)
Team LOB - 6
Fielding
DP - Olson-R. Alomar-Hillenbrand
Arizona Diamondbacks
Casey Fossum (W,2-6) 6433232 5.68
Elmer Dessens (H,4) 1000020 5.46
Randy Choate 1100020 5.20
Scott Service 0.1122210 6.60
Mike Koplove (S,2) 0.2100010 5.02
HBP - Greene (by Casey Fossum)
WP - Mike Koplove (2)
Pitches-Strikes - Casey Fossum 90-56, Elmer Dessens 16-12, Randy Choate 11-10, Scott Service 18-9, Mike Koplove 9-5
Ground Balls-Fly Balls - Casey Fossum 8-6, Elmer Dessens 1-0
Batters Faced - Casey Fossum 24, Elmer Dessens 3, Randy Choate 4, Scott Service 4, Mike Koplove 3
Game Information
Attendance - 22631
Game Time - 2:33
Temperature - 78
Umpires - Home - Jim Reynolds, First Base - Andy Fletcher, Second Base - Tim Welke, Third Base - Gary Cederstrom
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