Maddux sets mark in latest Padre win

The 40-year-old Maddux became the first pitcher to earn 10 victories in 20 consecutive seasons, tossing seven solid innings in the San Diego Padres’ 14-3 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday night.

Cy Young had 19 straight seasons with double-digit wins from 1891-1909. Maddux is tied with Nolan Ryan for second behind Don Sutton for most seasons with 10 wins. Sutton had 21, but not consecutively.

‘I didn’t know that. That’s cool,’ Maddux said, shrugging off his latest accomplishment.

Milton Bradley hit a pair of three-run homers and Adrian Gonzalez also connected twice for the Padres, who moved three games ahead of the Phillies in the NL wild-card race. Josh Bard had five of the Padres’ season-high 22 hits.

San Diego also gained a game on first-place Arizona in the West and are two back. Philadelphia fell to six behind the New York Mets in the East and into a tie for second with Atlanta.

Maddux (10-9) allowed three runs and seven hits, outpitching Jamie Moyer in a matchup of 40-something hurlers with a combined 570 wins.

Benches emptied in the fourth inning when Carlos Ruiz slid hard into Padres second baseman Marcus Giles trying to break up a double play on a grounder by Abraham Nunez.