Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - Roy Halladay wasn't perfect, but the Phillies' ace still threw seven solid innings and was backed by Shane Victorino's productive night in a 3-2 win over the Padres.
Not Perfect, But Still Very Good: Halladay Leads Phillies To 3-2 Win Over Padres
Halladay (8-3), in his first start since retiring 27 consecutive Florida Marlins hitters for the 20th perfect game in major league history, scattered 10 hits and a walk while holding San Diego to two runs.
The right-hander also struck out seven and went 1-for-3 at the plate with a run scored for the Phils, who were coming off a dreadful 2-7 road trip that saw them get shut out four times.
Victorino sparked the listless offense with a two-run homer and double while scoring a pair of runs in the victory, which was finished off by Brad Lidge in the ninth.
Mat Latos (5-4) only lasted five innings, allowing three runs on four hits and four walks while fanning six to take the loss, his first in six starts.
Adrian Gonzalez and Tony Gwynn Jr. each had two hits and an RBI in the loss, the second for the Padres in six games.
Jose Contreras relieved Halladay in the eighth and put two on before getting pulled for J.C. Romero with one out. Oscar Salazar came in as a pinch-hitter and worked a walk to load the bases, but Romero got Chris Denorfia to bounce into a 5-3 double play to preserve the 3-2 lead.
Lidge, who returned from his second stint on the disabled list earlier in the week, set down San Diego's 2-3-4 hitters in succession, striking out Chase Headley to close out his second save of the season and first since May 9.
Consecutive singles by Scott Hairston and Nick Hundley put runners on the corners to start the second, and two batters later Gwynn poked a 1-2 curveball to right for a 1-0 game.
Halladay stranded runners on first and third the next frame and pushed a single to right for the Phillies’ first hit of the game in the bottom half. Victorino then took a fastball over the right-field wall for his first home run since May 15, giving the Phillies their first lead.
Again the Padres had runners on the corners in the fifth and got a run on a Gonzalez sacrifice fly.
The Phillies regained the lead in the bottom half, as they loaded the bases with one out. After Ryan Howard struck out, Jayson Werth took a payoff pitch off the plate to force in Victorino for the eventual game-winner.
Phillies third baseman Placido Polanco (elbow) played for the first time since May 27 and went 1-for-4...Latos had thrown at least six innings and given up two runs or fewer in each of his previous six starts...The Phillies have not scored more than three runs in their past 12 games...The Padres, who outhit the Phillies, 10-6, went 1-for-13 with runners in scoring position and stranded 11...Padres outfielder Will Venable left the game early after experiencing muscle spasms in his neck following a head-first slide into third base in the fifth inning.
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