Volquez leads Padres to 3-1 win over Pirates
SAN DIEGO — Edinson Volquez struck out 10 and Will Venable drove in two runs to lift the San Diego Padres to a 3-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday night.
The loss comes on the heels of Pittsburgh’s 19-inning 6-3 victory at St. Louis on Sunday afternoon.
San Diego, which snapped a five-game losing streak Sunday, has won 16 of 19 against the Pirates. Pittsburgh is a half-game ahead of the Los Angeles Dodgers for the final wild-card berth.
Volquez (8-9), who had a 13.83 ERA in his previous four starts, allowed one run and five hits. The right-hander walked three and hit a batter.
It was the first time Volquez has pitched past the fourth inning in four starts this month.
Dale Thayer pitched the ninth for his seventh save in nine chances.
Kevin Correia (9-8) started in place of scheduled starter Wandy Rodriguez despite throwing 24 pitches in two shutout innings on Sunday.
Correia, who went into the game with a 75-pitch limit, gave up three runs — two earned — and seven hits in 4 1-3 innings. Correia was pulled with runners on first and second after walking Yasmani Grandal with one out in the fifth on his 72nd pitch.
Rodriguez, the eighth pitcher used by the Pirates on Sunday, threw two scoreless innings to earn the win.
Correia became the first Pirate since Pascual Perez in 1981 to pitch in relief one day and then start the next day’s game.
The Padres reached Correia, a former teammate, for two runs in the first inning.
Everth Cabrera led off with a double and scored on Venable’s single. After a passed ball and groundout, Venable scored on Grandal’s infield out.
Cameron Maybin led off the San Diego second with a single, went to second on a sacrifice and to third on Cabrera’s infield single. Venable followed with an RBI single for a 3-0 lead.
The Pirates finally reached Volquez when Andrew McCutcheon led off with an infield single and went to second on third baseman Chase Headley’s throwing error. McCutcheon took third on a ground out and scored on Neil Walker’s single.
McCutcheon went 1 for 5 as his NL-best batting average dropped to .352. McCutcheon struck out against reliever Brad Brach to end the seventh with runners at first and second.
Notes: Rodriguez’s next start will be against Milwaukee on Friday at home. ... Correia made his 22nd start out of 24 appearances. ... Correia pitched for San Diego in 2009-2010. ... San Diego’s Carlos Quentin was hit by a pitch for the second straight game to run his major league-leading total to 15. It also tied the club record set by Kevin Kouzmanoff in 2008.