Phillies Fall To San Diego

Kevin Jarvis was an unlikely candidate to give the San Diego Padres a desperately needed win.

He turned out to be just the guy, though, brushing aside his 8.24 ERA and the NL East-leading Philadelphia Phillies 11-0 on Thursday, throwing a seven-hitter for San Diego`s first complete game and shutout.

"Things haven`t gone our way lately," Jarvis (1-2) said after striking out a career-high 10 and getting his first win with the Padres. "We needed a win in the worst way. I came out as focused and aggressive as I know how to be and let things happen."

Did he ever. He retired his first nine batters, including six straight by strikeout.

"Today he looked like a determined man and picked us up," manager Bruce Bochy said.

Jarvis, signed as a free agent on Jan. 5, got his first complete game and shutout since 1996. It was his third shutout and fourth complete game.

It was also San Diego`s first complete-game shutout since Andy Ashby threw one at Colorado on July 4, 1999, also by an 11-0 score.

"There`s no better feeling as a starting pitcher than to finish what you started," Jarvis said. "It`s a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction to give the bullpen a day off."

Rickey Henderson hit a three-run homer a day after becoming baseball`s walks leader, and Ryan Klesko went 3-for-4 with a two-run homer and three runs scored. The Padres won for just the second time in 11 games and avoided a four-game sweep.

The Phillies` six-game winning streak ended.

Jarvis "didn`t look like a pitcher with an 8 ERA," Phillies manager Larry Bowa said. "He changed speeds, he kept the ball down. He threw a good breaking ball."

The Phillies had seen the video of Jarvis` 4-2 loss at Los Angeles on Saturday, "and he didn`t pitch like that today," catcher Mike Lieberthal said. "He was throwing a lot harder than I thought. I was very surprised."

Jarvis didn`t allow a hit until Brian Hunter singled leading off the fourth. Hunter was erased in a rundown after Jarvis caught him leaning off first.

Henderson gave the Padres a 9-0 lead on his two-out homer that capped the six-run fifth inning and chased Robert Person (2-2). Jarvis was aboard on an RBI single and Ben Davis on his third straight walk. It was Henderson`s first homer of the year.

"I just wanted to go up and hit the ball and feel confident at the plate," Henderson said. "I think every day I`m feeling better and better. It`s always a good feeling when you hit the ball and slap the ball out of the ballpark."

On Wednesday night, Henderson drew his 2,063rd walk, breaking the record he shared for a day with Babe Ruth.

Chris Gomez hit a sacrifice fly and Bubba Trammell an RBI single in the fifth. Davis added a two-run double in the sixth off Chris Brock.

Klesko hit a two-run homer in the third. Phil Nevin hit an RBI single in the first.

Person walked five in the first three innings. He allowed nine runs and eight hits in 4 1-3 innings, walked six and struck out two.

Game notes:
Henderson will keep the base he touched Wednesday night to make his record walk official. He`ll donate his jersey to the Hall of Fame, and the ball that Phillies reliever Jose Mesa threw to walk Henderson will go to the Babe Ruth Museum in Baltimore. Henderson broke Ruth`s record of 2,062. ... Philadelphia`s Bobby Abreu went 0-for-3 to end his six-game hitting streak.

Article continues below

---

advertisement

---

Author: 6 ABC - Action News (AP)