hitter Mark Kotsay's two-run double in the eighth inning gave the Padres a 2-1 win over the Washington Nationals Thursday. With the Padres trailing 1-0, Orlando Hudson drew a one-out walk and Cameron Maybin dropped down a bunt single against Tyler Clippard (1-2). Kotsay followed with a double to right-center. Andrew Cashner (1-1) pitched a perfect eighth for the win and Huston Street earned the save. The National League East-leading Nationals (14-5) had won four straight and eight of 10. Giants 6, Reds 5: In Cincinnati, Angel Pagan hit a three-run homer in the ninth inning, lifting San Francisco over Cincinnati. Joaquin Arias led off the ninth against Cincinnati closer Sean Marshall (0-2) with a walk, and Ryan Theriot followed with a single. After pinch-hitter Brett Pill struck out, Pagan lofted a 1-2 pitch into the left field seats to snap the Giants' losing streak in Cincinnati at seven. Javier Lopez (2-0) allowed two hits but no runs in the eighth to earn the win. Santiago Casilla struck out the side in the ninth for his second save in two opportunities. Jay Bruce hit a two-run homer in the sixth for the Reds and Scott Rolen added a solo shot. Mets 3, Marlins 2: In New York, a bases-loaded walk and a two-out single in the ninth inning lifted New York to victory over Miami. Pitching for the first time in a week, and working in a steady drizzle, Marlins closer Heath Bell (0-3) couldn't find the plate, walking four and throwing a whopping 46 pitches. The Mets trailed 2-1 when David Wright drew a leadoff walk in the ninth. Two more walks loaded the basespasses for Justin Turner, who fell behind in the count 0-2 but fouled off seven pitches before his walk made it 2-2. After a forceout at the plate notched the second out, Kirk Nieuwenhuis hit a single off the right-field wall for the winning run. Before Nieuwenhuis' hit the Mets were 0 for 16 when batting with the bases loaded this season. Ramon Ramirez (2-1) pitched two scoreless innings to take the win for the Mets, who completed a three-game sweep. “It was beautiful,” the Mets' starting pitcher, Jon Niese, said of the tense ending. “It was nerve-racking. My hands are numb from clapping so hard.” The only disheartening news for the Mets was the confirmation that Mike Pelfrey, the veteran starting pitcher, will almost certainly need Tommy John surgery to repair a partly torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow and will miss the rest of the season.
