SAN DIEGO-
Jake Peavy’s hitting was better than his pitching.
The Padres’ ace drove in two runs with his first career triple and added a double for the Padres, who beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 11-6 on Thursday.
Khalil Greene and Rob Bowen hit solo homers for the Padres, who’ve struggled offensively this year but managed to score a season-high in runs. Bowen had three RBIs and scored three runs, both career-highs.
The Padres split the two-game homestand, with the win coming less than 24 hours after they lost 5-3 in 12 innings. It was the most runs the Padres scored at spacious Petco Park since July 18, when they beat Philadelphia 10-6.
Arizona’s Chris Young had a solo homer among his three hits, and scored three times.
Peavy’s triple, which he finished with a headfirst slide, highlighted the five-run third and helped the Padres take a 7-0 lead.
The cushion came in handy because Peavy (3-0) went from pitching lights-out to getting pulled with the bases loaded and one out in the sixth. He struck out eight but allowed five runs, four earned, on 10 hits and two walks, and his ERA rose from 0.90 to 2.13.
Peavy allowed only three baserunners—one of whom he picked off—through four scoreless innings, then got worked over by the bottom of the Diamondbacks’ order. The right-hander allowed nine of his last 13 batters to reach base.
Young hit a solo homer with one out in the fifth, his second. Diamondbacks starter Livan Hernandez kept the inning alive with a two-out single, and Arizona added three more singles, including Orlando Hudson’s two-run base hit.
Peavy retired Scott Hairston on a pop foul leading off the sixth but couldn’t get another out. The next four batters reached, including Miguel Montero with an RBI single and pinch-hitter Tony Clark with a walk that chased Peavy.
Heath Bell came on and retired Stephen Drew before Eric Byrnes reached on catcher’s interference on Bowen, allowing Young to score. Hudson forced Byrnes to end the inning.
The Padres jumped on Hernandez in the third. Russell Branyan hit an RBI double and Bowen an RBI single, and both scored on Peavy’s triple over Hairston’s head into the left-center gap. Peavy scored on Marcus Giles’ sacrifice fly.
Giles also hit an RBI single in the second, and Mike Cameron had a sacrifice fly in the first.
Hernandez (1-1) allowed seven runs and eight hits in five innings, walked five and struck out two.
Greene hit his third homer and Bowen his first, both off Brandon Medders in the seventh.
Notes:@ Manager Bud Black said the Padres are discussing whether to contact the league office about David Wells’ ejection by umpire Doug Eddings on Wednesday night. Wells, who was jawing at Eddings from the dugout in the 12th inning, said the umpire rubbed his belly and told the pitcher, “You’re fat.” Eddings denied that, saying, “That’s false. I would never.” … Eddings worked behind the plate Thursday. … The Padres recalled LHP Justin Hampson from Triple-A Portland before the game and optioned RHP Mike Thompson to the Beavers. … When Black pulled Peavy in the sixth, Hampson came running in from the bullpen before being waved back. Bell then came on. … Hampson had a shaky Padres debut in the eighth, allowing two singles and falling behind Alberto Callaspo 2-0 before being pulled.
