SAN DIEGO -- With the San Francisco Giants getting hot, the Arizona Diamondbacks know they have to keep winning. Fred Brazil . Joe Saunders took a five-hitter into the ninth inning, Paul Goldschmidt drove in three runs and the Diamondbacks beat the San Diego Padres 5-1 Sunday to cut the magic number to five for their first NL West title since 2007. Arizona maintained a five-game lead over second-place San Francisco with nine games remaining, stopping a three-game losing streak. The Diamondbacks open a nine-game homestand Monday against Pittsburgh, then host the Giants for a three-game series next weekend. "When you go on a little stretch and you get a little antsy like that, you start to press a little bit," Saunders said. "You just need to relax. When you relax, things come easier to you. I think thats what happened. They didnt try to do to much and we just played our game." San Francisco kept the pressure on the Diamondbacks with its eighth straight win, 12-5 at Colorado. "Its been a couple of days, so its a good feeling," Arizona manager Kirk Gibson said. "Every victory at this point of the season is great. The Giants have been playing great and are on a big winning streak. We needed to match that and take care of our own business." Saunders (12-12) wanted to make sure he did his job at Petco Park, where he has pitched his best games this season. The lefty limited last-place San Diego to an unearned run and seven hits in 8 2-3 innings, improving to 3-1 with a 1.47 earned-run average against the Padres this year. He threw his only complete game this season in a 6-1 win at San Diego on July 26. "I came in this morning and decided I need to go out there and throw my A game," Saunders said. "We got some clutch hits down the stretch. Were grinding it out. It was a good win for us." After Saunders allowed two-out singles by Kyle Blanks and Alberto Gonzalez in the ninth, J.J. Putz struck out pinch-hitter Nick Hundley for his 41st save in 45 chances. Goldschmidt led the Arizona offence, which managed just three runs during the losing streak. Goldschmidt had three hits, including a leadoff homer in the sixth that put the Diamondbacks ahead for good at 2-1. "We just couldnt get to Joe Saunders," Padres manager Bud Black said. "His assortment of fastballs in, fastballs down and away. We just couldnt get enough balls squared against him." Aaron Harang (13-7) allowed two runs and eight hits in six innings. He has lost four of his last five starts despite a 3.19 ERA in that span. Cameron Maybin had a leadoff single in the third, stole second, took third on Miguel Monteros throwing error from behind the plate and scored on Jason Bartletts groundout. Monteros 17th homer tied the score leading off the fourth. Goldschmidt put the Diamondbacks ahead 2-1 with a leadoff homer in the sixth. "It was just a first-pitch fastball up and away," Goldschmidt said. "He likes to get ahead with fastballs, so I was looking for it." Goldschmidt combined with Aaron Hill for RBI singles in the seventh against Brad Brach and added a sacrifice fly against Erik Hamren in the eighth. NOTES: Arizona was 11-7 against San Diego, which is 23-43 against the NL West. ... RHP Ian Kennedy (19-4, 2.99 ERA) will attempt to become the NLs first 20-game winner this season Monday when he faces Pittsburgh RHP Jeff Karstens (9-8, 3.45). ... San Diego LHP Corey Luebke (5-9, 3.27) will start the opener of a three-game series, the clubs final road games, at Colorado against RHP Kevin Millwood (3-2, 3.68). Dani Alves Brazil . The list of hopefuls has been long, if not particularly distinguished. Verron Haynes, Najee Davenport, Carey Davis, Gary Russell, Frank Summers, Jonathan Dwyer and Isaac Redman all failed to consistently provide production in short-yardage and goal line situations. Maxwell Brazil Jersey . The 29-year-old scored once and assisted on another as Colorado edged the host Calgary Flames 3-2 on Friday. BASEL, Switzerland -- Roger Federer came from behind to beat Denis Istomin 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 in the second round of the Swiss Indoors on Wednesday. Federer conceded a set for the first time in five matches against the 48th-ranked Uzbek, and then had to rally from 0-40 down in his first service game in the decider. The seventh-ranked Swiss converted his first match point with a delightful backhand volley, but is still looking for his best tennis and a strong finish to the most difficult season of his career. Earlier, Federers chances of qualifying for the ATP World Tour Finals in London next month improved when Richard Gasquet was beaten 6-4, 6-2 by fellow Frenchman Michael Llodra in a first-round match. Also Wednesday, top-seeded Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina eased past Swiss wild card Henri Laaksonen, 6-4, 6-4. Seeded players continued to tumble with the fifth-seeded Gasquet followed by No. 6 Kei Nishikori of Japan, who lost 6-1, 6-2 against Ivan Dodig of Croatia. Eighth-seeded Grigor Dimitrov beat Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic 6-3, 6-3 and the Bulgarian is on course to meet Federer in the quarterfinals Friday. Federers struggles with back injuries and unheralded opponents since Marchh have meant he still has not secured a place in the eight-man London lineup next month. Oscar Brazil. Gasquets defeat, after Stanislas Wawrinkas first-round exit Tuesday, strengthened Federers hold on the sixth qualifying position in the points race before he played Istomin. Still, home fans were silenced when Istomin broke Federers serve in the fifth game before serving out the set. Federer needed a single break, in the sixth game, to level the match though appeared to show unease by asking the chair umpire to reject balls he thought were too soft for play. In the first game of the deciding set, Federer let two break point chances slip as Istomin escaped trouble with big serves. After saving four break points in his Federer saved four break points in next game and held despite his forehand again proving unreliable. Federer eventually led when he broke for a 2-1 advantage with a powerful forehand winner approaching the net, and reeled off four more games for victory. In other matches, Paul-Henri Mathieu of France beat Denis Kudla of the United States 6-4, 7-5, and Canadian Vasek Pospisil won 6-4, 6-4 against Robin Haase of the Netherland, who was a finalist in Vienna on Sunday. cheap jerseys wholesale jerseys from china ' ' '
