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GAME LOG
SAN DIEGO (AP) -- Ryan Klesko hopes his power slump is over.
Klesko, who hadn't homered in a month, teamed with Phil Nevin to
hit consecutive home runs in the fourth inning, leading the San
Diego Padres to 3-1 win over the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday
night.
Klesko barely cleared the left-center field wall with a two-run
homer in the fourth for a 2-1 lead. It was Klesko's 24th homer but
his first in 91 at-bats since Aug. 5 against the Chicago Cubs.
Nevin, who leads San Diego with 31 home runs, followed with a
412-foot shot to left-center.
"It's nice to be able to contribute to a win," Klesko said.
"It's been awhile since I've hit one."
Heading into August, Klesko was on pace to smash his career
highs in home runs (34) and RBIs (93), set with Atlanta in 1996.
But he slumped in August, hitting just .250.
"I haven't been overmatched," Klesko said. "It just seems
like every time I hit the ball hard, it's right at someone."
Jay Witasick (3-1), acquired from Kansas City on July 31,
allowed an unearned run and three hits, tying a career high with 10
strikeouts in 7 2-3 innings. He left his previous start, at
Chicago, with heat exhaustion.
"I don't consider myself a strikeout pitcher," Witasick said.
"I just want to get my first pitch down and get ground balls, but
tonight my ball just seemed to be moving."
Padres manager Bruce Bochy thought Witasick threw as well as he
has in his seven NL starts.
"That was just a great game for him," Bochy said. "He had
great movement on his fastball and it made him tough."
Trevor Hoffman pitched a perfect ninth for his 37th save in 44
chances.
Paul Rigdon (2-3) gave up three runs and four hits in six
innings, walked four and struck out four.
"I made two mistakes tonight and they hit them out of the
park," Rigdon said. "That's basically it in a nutshell."
Klesko was looking for a pitch away in the fourth inning, and
Rigdon threw a fastball up and away.
"It was a good pitch, but it was right where I wanted it,"
Nevin said.
"Paul pitched a quality game and made two bad pitches,"
Milwaukee manager Davey Lopes said. "Both pitches that were hit
for home runs were out of the strike zone."
Milwaukee took the lead in the fourth after Richie Sexson singled
and Jeromy Burnitz hit a hard shot to Nevin at third base. Nevin
bobbled the ball for one error, then made another on a wild throw
that allowed the runners to second and third.
After an intentional walk, Ron Belliard hit into a force play to
second that scored Sexson.
Desi Relaford led off the bottom of the fourth with a single
before Klesko homered.
Game notes
Witasick also struck out 10 batters with Kansas City on
Sept. 17, 1999, at Oakland. ... The Padres have hit consecutive
homers six times this season. The last time came on Aug. 22 when
Nevin and John Mabry connected against the New York Mets. ... In
his last two starts, Rigdon has allowed just three runs and eight
hits. ... Damian Jackson's career-best 13-game hitting streak came
to an end when he went 0-for-4. ... The Brewers have lost two
straight on the road after coming into the series having won six of
seven road games. ... Padres INF Kevin Nicholson was placed on the
60-day DL with a broken left wrist. ... San Diego purchased the
contract of INF Greg LaRocca from Triple-A Las Vegas.
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