Shipley Comes In for Streaking Padres

Persistence finally paid off for Craig Shipley.

Shipley put the Padres ahead to stay Saturday night with his first major-league homer in 142 at-bats, sparking a 4-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.

Shipley’s solo homer off Tom Browning (14-13) made it 2-1 in the fifth inning. It was noteworthy for one other reason: It was the first homer by a native Australian since Joe Quinn in 1901.

“It’s just a good feeling,” Shipley said. “I guess if you play long enough, you’re going to get one.”

There was a time last year when Shipley doubted he’d get another chance to play in the majors. Two operations on his rotator cuff wiped out his year and made him wonder whether his career was finished.

“I did for a while,” he said. “This is pretty satisfying, especially where I came from over the winter. Sometimes I doubted whether I’d ever play again.”

He’s won a utility role with the Padres by hitting .257.

“He showed he can play shortstop,” Manager Greg Riddoch said. “If we need somebody to fill in for a month or two, he can do it.”

His role playing Saturday helped the Padres win their third consecutive game and their sixth in seven. They moved five games over .500 (80-75), matching their season high. The Padres are one victory away from clinching third place in the NL West.

“We’re trying to clinch third, and everybody’s pulling together,” said Jeremy Hernandez, one of four relievers the Padres used Saturday. “We’re pulling together as a team. People said we couldn’t do it (finish third). They didn’t expect us to do that well. We’re fairly young. We could be contenders for years to come.”

The defending champion Reds fell to 73-82 with their 10th loss in 14 games, leaving Manager Lou Piniella fuming.

“I wonder if those guys get tired of losing,” he said. “I know I do. I get sick and tired of it.”

Jose Melendez (7-5), making his second start after 22 relief appearances, allowed four hits and two earned runs in five innings. Mike Maddux got his fifth save.

Browning gave up nine hits and four walks in 6 1/3 innings as he lost his third consecutive start.

Chris Sabo doubled and scored on Bill Doran’s single for a 1-0 lead in the Reds’ second, but Sabo helped give the run back in the third. He misplayed Darrin Jackson’s two-out grounder for a two-base error, and Kevin Ward singled up the middle for a tie game.

Shipley snapped it with a leadoff homer in the fifth, the 32nd allowed by Browning in 35 starts. Melendez followed with a double and came home on Tony Fernandez’s two-out single.