Salazar’s pinch-hit single lifts Padres to 3-2 win over Dodgers

Salazar’s pinch-hit single lifts Padres, 3-2

SAN DIEGO — Oscar Salazar’s pinch-hit single with one out in the ninth inning gave the NL West-leading San Diego Padres a 3-2 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday to take two of three games in the series.

The teams will meet again in a four-game series at Dodger Stadium starting Monday night.

Scott Hairston started the winning rally with a single down the left-field line off George Sherrill (1-2). He was sacrificed to second by Tony Gwynn Jr. Salazar hit a full-count pitch up the middle past diving second baseman Jamey Carroll and into center field.

Heath Bell (5-0) pitched a perfect ninth for the win.

Just before the game, the Padres acquired infielder Miguel Tejada and just over $1 million from Baltimore for Class AA right-hander Wynn Pelzer.

Padres ace Mat Latos was gone after five innings, his shortest outing in eight starts. He allowed two runs, one earned, and two hits, struck out seven and walked three.

Latos twice allowed the Dodgers to tie the game. He gave up James Loney’s homer leading off the second on a 1-1 pitch, his eighth, making it 1-1.

The 22-year-old right-hander, who was trying for his 12th win, allowed an unearned run in the fifth. After walking Carroll and Brad Ausmus, sandwiched around a strikeout of Blake DeWitt, Latos allowed a single to left by pinch-hitter Garrett Anderson. Hairston, the left fielder, committed an error on the play, allowing Carroll to score and tied the game at 2.

Chase Headley hit an RBI single for the Padres with one out in the first and Yorvit Torrealba had an RBI double in the fourth.

Dodgers starter Vicente Padilla lasted four innings, allowing two runs and four hits, with five strikeouts and two walks.

Scott Podsednik batted leadoff and played center field in his Dodgers debut, a day after being obtained from the Kansas City Royals. He went 0 for 3 with a walk.

NOTES: Padres manager Bud Black said he was encouraged with a strong bullpen session by reliever Mike Adams, who’s on the DL with a strained muscle in his left side. Black said Adams will likely throw a simulated game rather than go on a rehab assignment. … The Dodgers designated reliever Jack Taschner for assignment to make room for Podsednik. … Dodgers manager Joe Torre said Chad Billingsley will start Saturday at San Francisco on three days’ rest. He threw six scoreless innings in a 2-0 win over the Padres on Tuesday night. … The Padres wore brown-and-yellow replica uniforms from 1978. “They were really ugly uniforms,” Torre said. … The crowd of 42,075 gave the Padres their fifth sellout. Four of the sellouts have been against the Dodgers. The other was their home opener against Atlanta.