LDN - Sports

Padres end skid, beat White Sox

[May 13, 2017] CHICAGO -- The San Diego Padres pounced on another struggling team and powered their way back into the win column.

Austin Hedges drove in three runs with homer and a double, Matt Szczur celebrated his return to Chicago with a solo shot on the first pitch of the game and the Padres got past the White Sox 6-3 on Friday night.

Wil Myers finished the scoring with his ninth homer of the season, a solo drive in the ninth, as San Diego snapped a three-game losing streak and won for just the second time in its last nine games.

"Overall, we're trending better offensively and it's good to see," Padres manager Andy Green said. "There were still a few at-bats here or there that we didn't execute."

But Hedges, who hit his eighth homer of the season and is seeing his batting average climb after a rocky start, was on target.

"After the first 20 some at-bats this season when he couldn't get a hit, he's consistently driving the ball for us," Green said of his catcher. "A pitcher makes a mistake and he's got the kind of power that can make someone pay for it."

Leury Garcia hit a two-run homer in the third and added a solo shot in the seventh to provide the offense for the struggling White Sox, who lost their season-high sixth straight. It was the first career multi-homer game for Garcia, who has gone deep four times this season.

"I feel pretty good. I swing at strikes, put the ball in play," Garcia said. "We've been in trouble the last couple games, but we keep battling, we keep playing hard, and we know it's going to turn around."

Padres starter Jhoulys Chacin settled in and pitched into the seventh to win his first start against the White Sox. Chacin (4-3) allowed three runs and seven hits and struck out five. He left after giving up Garcia's second homer with one out in the seventh.

San Diego rookie Allen Cordoba had three hits and an RBI. Brandon Maurer pitched a scoreless ninth for his fifth save in six chances.

Chicago's Miguel Gonzalez (3-3) scuffled, allowing five runs, eight hits and four walks through five innings as he lost his third straight start.

Once again, the White Sox tried to claw back after falling behind early.

"They quick-pointed us and now it's time to see if we can come back and respond," White Sox manager Rick Renteria said. "We kept battling. The guys didn't quit.

"Obviously, I know you guys are getting tired of me saying that, but all we can continue to do is play."

Szczur led off and was in center field for the Padres after the crosstown Cubs designated him for assignment last Saturday and then traded him to San Diego on Monday.

"I was just trying to get a good pitch to hit and it happened to be the first pitch," Szczur said. "I'm aggressive and these guys here push aggressiveness, so it was good for me."

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Padres starting pitcher Jhoulys Chacin (46) throws a pitch against the Chicago White Sox during the first inning at Guaranteed Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports

Szczur launched the first pitch of the game deep to left for his first homer this season and a quick 1-0 San Diego lead. Gonzalez walked Myers and Yangervis Solarte with one out, but he escaped the jam.

Hedges drove in two runs with a sharp bouncing double just inside third base with two outs in the third to make it 3-0.

Willy Garcia got Chicago's first hit, a sinking liner that Cordoba couldn't come up with in left, to lead off the bottom half of the third. Garcia followed with a homer to right to cut the deficit to 3-2.

The Padres added two runs with two outs in the fifth to make it 5-2. Hedges started by lofting his solo shot to left. After Erick Aybar singled and Hunter Renfroe walked, Cordoba's single drove in Aybar.

Garcia his hit second homer of the game to right center in the seventh to cut it to 5-3.

NOTES: White Sox SS Tim Anderson went on the bereavement list for the three-day weekend series so he could attend the funeral of close friend Branden Moss in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Leury Garcia started in his spot. ... San Diego 1B Wil Myers, who lead the Padres with a .298 average, switched to DH for the first game of the interleague set in an American League ballpark. Yangervis Solarte stepped in at first base. ... The Padres and White Sox met for the 10th time in interleague play and for the first time since 2014. ... Allen Cordoba started in left field for the Padres, who continue to groom the 21-year-old rookie into an infield/outfield utility role. ... Before the game, White Sox manager Rick Renteria, who spent 10 years with the Padres' organization, said he might still be with San Diego if the Cubs hadn't hired him as manager for the 2014 season.

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