Ludwick’s 2 HRs carry Padres to 4-1 win over Bucs
SAN DIEGO (AP) – Ryan Ludwick admitted to manager Bud Black a few days ago that he’s been pressing. Black had a one-word answer: “Relax.”
Taking his manager’s advice, Ludwick hit his first two homers with San Diego, reaching 100 for his career and leading the Padres to a 4-1 victory against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday night.
Ludwick hit a line shot to left on Jeff Karstens’ first pitch of the second, then hit a towering fly ball to straightaway center on an 0-1 pitch off Wil Ledezma leading off the seventh for a 3-1 lead. Ludwick has 13 homers this season.
The NL West-leading Padres (65-46) have the best record in the NL while the Pirates (39-73) have the worst.
Pittsburgh’s Jose Tabata reached with two outs in the third when his grounder glanced off second baseman Jerry Hairston Jr.’s glove. It was ruled a hit. Neil Walker followed with a walk and Pedro Alvarez singled in Tabata.
Hairston had an RBI infield single in the eighth.
Karstens (2-8) allowed two runs and three hits in six innings, struck out three and walked one.
Heath Bell pitched the ninth for his 32nd save in 35 chances.
“He threw a good game,” Pittsburgh manager John Russell said of Karstens. “He kept us in it. He was pretty efficient. He did what we needed him to do. We just didn’t get much offense. Guys were trying to do something big but were getting away from themselves a little bit.”
Karstens, who grew up in suburban Spring Valley, said he had more than 200 family members and friends at the game.