PHILADELPHIA, May 10 (UPI) -- Vicente Padilla worked 7 2/3 hitless innings before settling for a two-hitter Friday night as the Philadelphia Phillies extended their winning streak to a season-high seven games with a 4-0 blanking of the Arizona Diamondbacks.
A converted reliever who came up in the Diamondbacks system before being dealt to the Phillies as part of the Curt Schilling trade in August 2000, Padilla made a serious bid at the first no-hitter at Veterans Stadium in 12 years.
Padilla easily retired Junior Spivey and Craig Counsell to start the eighth. But Padilla's attempt at history ended when pinch hitter Chris Donnels, a journeyman infielder, lined the first pitch he saw down the left field line for a double.
A 24-year-old righthander, Padilla (5-2) surrendered a leadoff single to Danny Bautista in the ninth before retiring the next three batters. It marked his first career complete game.
Padilla's brilliant effort was unexpected since it was unclear if he would even start Friday after experiencing stiffness in his pitching shoulder in his last two outings.
Terry Mulholland is the last Phillie to pitch a no-hitter at Veterans Stadium, accomplishing the feat on Aug. 15, 1990 against San Francisco.
Doug Glanville and Bobby Abreu helped give Padilla some support, each hitting solo homers. Glanville's was an inside-the-park homer in the seventh inning that gave the Phillies a 2-0 lead.
Arizona starter Rick Helling (3-4) had the misfortune of opposing Padilla and surrendered two runs and eight hits in seven innings. The righthander walked one and struck out four.
