NewsPadres stop record Interleague skid
Slide ends at 13, but AL foes still give San Diego fits
By Amy Brittain / MLB.com
06/18/09 8:05 PM ET
SAN DIEGO -- Closer Heath Bell took a lighthearted approach in examining the Padres' recent Interleague play struggles -- 13 consecutive losses going into Thursday's game, the longest streak in Major League history."I'd have to say that I'm happy and mad that I'm part of that -- all 13 games," he said.
Bell was asked to clarify if he was actually "happy" about the streak dating back to last season.
"Yeah, I'm part of a Major League streak," Bell said, smirking. "You have to admit, that's pretty cool. It's part of history."
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Bell pitched the ninth and 10th innings Thursday to help break the streak in the Padres' 4-3 win over the Mariners at PETCO Park.
Taking a more serious stab at pinpointing why the Padres have struggled, Bell said there are certain distinctions between the leagues that could provide answers.
"Well, I do think the American League hits better than the National League," he said. "The National League plays small ball a lot more, and the American League is geared around hitting, hitting, hitting ... scoring a lot of runs."
Entering the 2009 season, the Padres held a .428 winning percentage dating back to 1997 against Interleague opponents. They ranked second to last, behind the Pirates, among NL teams.
The Padres are 84-116 all-time in Interleague Play after dropping a three-game series to the Angels and two of three games to the Mariners this season.
"We've been outpitched and outhit," Padres manager Bud Black said. "I don't think there's any secret to why this is happening."
Other players, such as left fielder Chase Headley and second baseman David Eckstein, dismissed the streak as insignificant.
"I don't know -- there's nothing I can come up with," Headley said. "For whatever reason, we haven't played real well against those guys. Baseball is baseball, whether you have a DH or no DH. You have to be able to get past that."
Eckstein said the streak doesn't hold any weight when he's preparing to play Interleague opponents.
"You don't really look much into it," he said. "You go out there and try to win the game."
Bell said that untimely injuries, such as ace Jake Peavy's current right ankle injury and elbow strain around the same time last season, could also play a role in Interleague losses.
But ultimately, Bell said the answer lies in the offensive strengths of Interleague opponents.
"They've got some good pitchers over there too, but they're about hitting," he said. "If you don't pitch really good against American League teams, or if you can't score runs, you're not going to win the game. It's just unfortunate that the Padres have another Major League-record-breaking losing streak."
Amy Brittain is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
