PHILADELPHIA, May 1 (UPI) -- Ryan Howard's sixth homer of the season, a solo shot in the eighth inning Thursday, carried the Philadelphia Phillies past San Diego 3-2.
Howard also had an RBI double and scored twice, helping Philadelphia win for the eighth time in 11 games and jump a half game in front of the New York Mets and Florida for first place in the National League East.
Tom Gordon (3-2) worked the eighth to get the win and Brad Lidge picked up his seventh save with a perfect ninth.
Adrian Gonzalez accounted for San Diego's scoring with a two-run homer in the first. It was the second straight game Gonzalez had delivered a two-run blast in the opening inning.
The Padres, however, managed only three hits during the remainder of the game and lost for the eighth time in 10 outings.
The homer by Howard was the only hit allowed by losing pitcher Joe Thatcher (0-3) in 1 1/3 innings of work.
