Bullpen lets down Tigers

Ex-Mud Hen Eddie Bonine pitches for the Tigers against the Padres last night in San Diego.

SAN DIEGO Adrian Gonzalez drove in the go-ahead run with a bases-loaded single in the eighth inning, and the San Diego Padres beat the Detroit Tigers 6-2 last night to snap a four-game losing streak.

The Padres rally with none out in the eighth came too late for Greg Maddux to get the win. Mad Dog pitched seven strong innings, but he still couldn t get career win No. 351. He s gone 0-2 with six no-decisions since beating the Colorado Rockies 3-2 on May 10.

The 42-year-old Maddux left with a 2-1 lead, thanks to home runs by prized prospect Chase Headley and Khalil Greene. But the Tigers tied it when Heath Bell (5-3) allowed Placido Polanco s homer with two outs in the eighth.

San Diego rallied in the bottom of the inning when Fernando Rodney (0-1), pitching for just the second time this season, walked Jody Gerut and Edgar Gonzalez, Adrian s older brother. Casey Fossum came on and walked Brian Giles to load the bases before Adrian Gonzalez singled to right to bring in Gerut. Edgar Gonzalez, who had three hits, scored on a fielding error by right fielder Magglio Ordonez.

Headley singled to chase Fossum and bring on Joel Zumaya, a San Diego-area native who was making his season debut after recovering from shoulder surgery. Zumaya promptly gave up a two-run single to Scott Hairston.

The Tigers, who lost for just the second time in 10 games, used four relievers in the eighth.

The Padres were coming off a dismal 1-5 trip to Cleveland and the New York Yankees.

Maddux was facing the Tigers for the third time in his 23-year big league career. Detroit is one of seven major league teams Maddux hasn t beaten.

Detroit s Curtis Granderson hit a leadoff homer to the deepest part of Petco Park and finished with three hits. His homer to right-center was estimated at 428 feet and sent fans scrambling for the ball in the sand play area beyond the fence. It was his ninth homer this year and the third leadoff shot of the season.

Headley tied it with his homer to straightaway center field with one out in the fourth off Eddie Bonine.