박찬호는 8일(한국시간) 샌디에이고 펫코 파크에서 벌어진 미국프로야구 정규시즌 홈경기에서 4-6으로 뒤진 6회초 1사 1, 2루 실점 위기에서 나와 1⅔이닝을 무안타 무실점으로 틀어막았다. 

모두 16차례 투구했고 그 가운데 스트라이크는 11개였다. 
 
월드베이스볼클래식(WBC)에서 선보인 탁월한 위기관리 능력이 정규시즌 첫 경기에서도 그대로 이어졌다. 

박찬호는 첫 타자 대니 아드에게서 유격수 땅볼을 유도해 야수 선택으로 2루 주자 제이슨 스미스를 아웃시켜 일단 급한 불부터 껐다. 

박찬호는 이어진 2사 1, 3루 위기에서도 투수 조쉬 포그로부터 다시 유격수 땅볼을 끌어내 완벽 진화에 성공했다. 

탄력을 받은 박찬호는 7회 콜로라도의 1, 2, 3번 타자인 코리 설리반, 클린트 바메스, 토드 헬튼을 차례로 중견수 플라이, 유격수 땅볼, 1루수 플라이로 낚았다. 

샌디에이고는 8회부터 박찬호 대신 스콧 캐시디를 마운드에 올렸다. 

샌디에이고는 이후 4점을 더 내줘 4-10으로 졌다. 

승부가 갈린 것은 박찬호가 등판하기 직전인 6회였다. 

샌디에이고는 2실점으로 호투하고 있던 선발투수 크리스 영이 선두타자 설리반에게 오른쪽 깊숙한 2루타를 맞고 흔들리기 시작했다. 

후속 바메스를 내야땅볼로 잡았지만 헬튼에게 왼쪽 깊숙한 2루타를 맞고 1점을 내줬고 결국 마운드를 클레이 헨슬리에게 넘겼다. 

하지만 헨슬리는 2루타 2발을 포함해 연속 4타자에게 안타를 얻어맞아 동점과 결승점 등 3점을 털리고 박찬호에게 공을 넘겼다. 

샌디에이고 마운드는 선발요원 숀 에스테스가 이날 15일짜리 부상자 명단에 올라 전력에서 빠진 상태다. 

2006/04/08 서울=연합뉴스

Gonzalez looks for his third straight multi-hit effort to open the season for the San Diego Padres, who begin a three-game weekend set at Petco Park against the Colorado Rockies. 

Gonzalez was billed as a star in the making when he was drafted first overall by the Florida Marlins in 2000. The Marlins dealt the first baseman to Texas in 2003, but he languished behind all-star Mark Teixeira. 

The San Diego native was traded to his hometown team along with Friday's starting pitcher Chris Young as part of the deal that sent Adam Eaton to Texas on Jan. 4. Gonzalez has thrived in his first two games, going 5-for-8 with three runs scored while batting fifth in the lineup in place of the injured Ryan Klesko. 
 
"He's so smooth in everything he does," San Diego outfielder Eric Young said. "He really reminds me of (Rafael) Palmeiro. He's got that sweet, easy stroke, like Raffy. And he's just so smooth at first." 

Gonzalez managed only seven multi-hit efforts last season for Texas, batting .227 in just 150 at-bats. 

While Gonzalez returned to the town where he starred in high school, Young was dealt away from the Dallas area where he grew up. The 6-foot-10 right-hander went 12-7 with a 4.26 ERA with the Rangers last season, his first full year as a starter. 

Young, who started for Texas on opening day last season, had eight wins at the All-Star break before fading down the stretch. He pitched into the seventh inning just three times over his final 13 starts. 

This will be Young's first start against an NL West opponent. The Padres are hoping that switching leagues will help him. Young went 3-1 with a 2.59 ERA in four interleague starts for the Rangers a year ago. 

San Diego (1-1) went 11-7 against Colorado last season, including a 6-3 mark at home. Padres pitching limited the Rockies to 33 runs in the nine meetings at Petco Park. 

The Padres split a rain-shortened two-game series with San Francisco to start the season. Gonzalez's solo homer accounted for their only run in a 3-1 loss on Wednesday. 

"A tough loss," Gonzalez said. "We had a couple rallies end with hard-hit balls at somebody or a good defensive play." 

Rockies starter Josh Fogg is hoping his career will take a turn for the better when he makes his Colorado debut. Fogg signed a one-year deal in February after spending the last four seasons with Pittsburgh. 

After Fogg turned in three straight non-losing seasons for the Pirates, he stumbled to go 6-11 with a 5.05 ERA last year. The 29-year-old right-hander went 2-7 with a 6.21 ERA after the All-Star break. 

Fogg is 1-1 with a 4.35 ERA in two career starts against the Padres, including a victory in his lone outing at Petco Park last season. 

Colorado (1-2) is beginning a six-game road trip and hopes to get off to a better start away from Coors Field than last season. The Rockies lost 33 of their first 40 road games in 2005 before winning 20 of their final 41. 

First baseman Todd Helton -- a career .337 hitter overall-- batted only .287 on the road last season. 
 
Updated on Friday, Apr 7, 2006 7:25 am EDT 
 
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