Staff Reporter
Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Park Chan-ho again failed to earn his first win of the season, Sunday.
The 35-year-old hurler pitched in his second start against the San Diego Padres at home and allowed four runs and eight hits, including a homer, in five innings.
But another late-home run helped him avoid being charged with a loss as Raul Ibanez hit a walk-off, two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth in the 5-4 win.
In his first outing one week ago, Park gave up five runs over 3 1/3 innings, but Matt Stair's ninth-inning, pinch-hit home run offset his pitcher's poor numbers.
Now, he has posted an 8.68 ERA with no decision this season for the World Series champion, for which he signed in December.
In his first delivery before home fans, Park appeared to get off to a good start by retiring three Padres on 10 pitches in the first.
In the second, with runners on first and second, third baseman Pedro Feliz turned a liner by Nick Hundley into a double play.
Park gave up a run-scoring single to Jody Gerut for a 1-0 lead in the third and Edgar Gonzalez followed with a sinking liner to left that Ibanez struggled with before it glanced off his glove for a triple. Brian Giles's grounder made it 3-0.
After working his way out of a bases-loaded jam in the fourth, he saw his slider blasted by Adrian Gonzalez into the right-field seats in the next inning.
Despite his consecutive poor performances, Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said he would still use Park in the No. 5 spot of the rotation.
``Two starts ― in my mind, that's not a big chance," Manuel said. ``We're looking for the best pitching in our bullpen or in our rotation. It's still early and everything and we don't want to lose games, but at the same time when you commit to somebody, I feel like you've got to give them the right chance.''
Choo Hits No. 3 Home RunCleveland Indians outfielder Choo Shin-soo flashed his power strokes for the second straight day, Sunday.
The 26-year-old hit a solo homer off New York Yankees starter A.J. Burnett in the second inning in a 7-3 loss in New York.
He also connected for a three-run shot off Wang Chien-ming of Taiwan the previous day.
The Taiwanese sinkerball hurler, who won 19 games in both 2006 and 2007, and fireballer Burnett, who signed a five-year, $82.5-million contract in December, are Nos. 2 and 3 pitchers in the Yankees' rotation behind CC Sabathia.
He finished 1-for-3 with one RBI and two runs.
As of Monday, Choo, a native of Busan, has posted eight RBIs, nine runs and three homers with a batting average of .279.
ksw@koreatimes.co.kr
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