Scott Hairston has found a niche with the Padres.
Although manager Bud Black won't call it a platoon, Hairston starts most of the Padres' games in center field when they are facing a left-handed starter. Jody Gerut is the center fielder the rest of the time. With left-hander Barry Zito starting Friday night for the Giants, Hairston was in center. And he came up with one of his best games as a Padre -- if not the best inning of his career.
In the top of the eighth, Hairston raced into deep left-center at Petco Park, leaped at the wall and caught a Bengie Molina drive that would have driven in one run and put the tying run at second.
Then in the bottom half of the inning, Hairston hit a three-run homer to cap a 3-for-5 night that included the Padres' first stolen base of the season.
Hairston has hit 15 homers in 245 at-bats at Petco Park and is one of the few Padres who have had a higher batting average at home than on the road.
PADRES 7, GIANTS 3: Right-hander Shawn Hill, whom San Diego claimed on waivers March 23, held the Giants to two runs on seven hits over five innings as the Padres halved their entire total of 2008 wins against the Giants at Petco Park. Center fielder Scott Hairston led the Padres offensively (3-for-5 with a three-run homer) and defensively (a leaping catch at the wall in the eighth to rob Bengie Molina of extra bases).
