PITTSBURGH – Mark Loretta’s go-ahead, two-run single followed Rondell White’s tying homer in San Diego’s four-run ninth inning, and the Padres squandered a four-run lead before rallying to beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 8-7 Tuesday night.

The Pirates led 6-4 going into the ninth, but White’s two-run homer – his 17th – off Mike Lincoln tied it. White was 0-for-11 until he singled in the sixth.

Gary Matthews Jr.’s single and two walks loaded the bases before Loretta singled to center off Brian Boehringer as the Padres sent 10 batters to the plate in the ninth.

Lincoln (1-2), who has at least temporarily succeeded the traded Mike Williams as the Pirates’ closer, squandered a multirun lead for the second time in three days. He gave up three runs in the ninth Sunday as St. Louis rallied to win 4-3.

Joe Roa (1-2) threw a scoreless eighth for the victory. Rod Beck gave up Reggie Sanders’ 19th homer to start the ninth, but still got his 13th save in 13 opportunities since being called up from the minors.

The Pirates trailed 4-0 until a six-run sixth inning against four Padres pitchers that was keyed by Brian Giles’ go-ahead three-run double against Mike Matthews.

The Padres, involved in trade talks with the Pirates that include Giles and catcher Jason Kendall, got a two-run homer from Phil Nevin in the fourth while opening the four-run lead.

Padres starter Oliver Perez was working on a two-hit shutout, but was lifted after walking Craig Wilson to start the sixth – the seventh walk by Perez. The Pirates are believed to want Perez in any Giles-Kendall trade.

Luther Hackman replaced Perez but retired only one of the five batters he faced and committed a costly throwing error on a run-scoring Humberto Cota grounder.

After Hackman walked pinch-hitter Matt Stairs, Abraham Nunez singled up the middle for two runs that cut the Padres’ lead to 4-3. Hackman then hit Jeff Reboulet with a pitch, leading to Giles’ bases-loaded double to center.

The six-run inning ended a streak of 19 consecutive scoreless innings at home for the Pirates, who were shut out 2-0 by Houston on July 22.

Pirates starter Jeff D’Amico was lifted after giving up four runs and seven hits in six innings.

Notes: Giles needs one hit for 1,000 in his career. He is one homer away from 200. … With the July 31 deadline for trading without waivers only two days away, Padres GM Kevin Towers made the trip to Pittsburgh. … Perez gave up seven runs in three runs in his previous start against Pittsburgh this season, an 8-5 loss on April 30. He was charged with only one of the Pirates’ six runs in the sixth. … Nevin, who missed most of the season with a shoulder problem, homered for the second time in three games.

AP-ES-07-29-03 2231EDT