PHILADELPHIA -- Shane Victorino stood several hundred feet from home plate on Friday night at Citizens Bank Park, but he didn't need to be close to like what he saw.

"Whoa," he said.

Brad Lidge, whose comeback from offseason elbow and knee surgeries has been rocky to say the least, dominated the San Diego Padres in the ninth inning to pick up his second save of the season in a 3-2 victory. Lidge faced no cupcakes and had no room for error. He retired the heart of the Padres' order in order: David Eckstein grounded out to shortstop Juan Castro, Adrian Gonzalez struck out swinging on a 2-2 fastball and Chase Headley struck out swinging on a 1-2 slider to end the game.

"He looked very good," Victorino said. "He looked like, uh ... I won't say it yet, but he looked very good."

Did he look like the Lidge of 2008?

"No, no, not at all," Victorino said. "But his fastball looked good, and his slider looked sharp."

But on a night when the Philadelphia Flyers beat the Chicago Blackhawks in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Finals across the street at Wachovia Center and Roy Halladay pitched for the first time following his perfect game Saturday in Florida, Phillies fans should have left the ballpark especially encouraged with Lidge.

"It feels great," Lidge said. "That's a situation I was hoping to have as soon as possible. I think the close games are really important for us to win right now. Then we can hopefully bust out soon and start boat racing some guys."

Lidge went 2-0 with a 1.95 ERA and 41 saves in 41 opportunities in the 2008 regular season. He went 7-for-7 in save opportunities in the '08 postseason. But 2009 was a nightmare, as he battled knee and elbow injuries. He went 0-8 with a 7.21 ERA and 31 saves in 42 opportunities.

He had surgery on his right elbow in November and surgery on his right knee in January. The Phillies had hoped Lidge could be ready to start the 2010 season or maybe miss the first week, but he required a cortisone injection into the elbow in March. Lidge did not make his season debut until April 30, but he returned to the DL on May 10. He received a second cortisone injection May 17.

Lidge is 0-0 with a 1.69 ERA in six appearances this season.

He just needs to stay healthy and sharp.

Lidge said he was happy to pick up a save for Halladay, who was not perfect Friday after making history Saturday.

The Phillies' ace allowed a two-out single to Gonzalez in the first inning to end any suspense of a repeat performance. Phillies fans groaned before applauding Halladay for his run of perfection. Halladay allowed three hits and one run in the second inning as the Padres took a 1-0 lead.

"It's back to normal," Halladay said. "You turn the page pretty quickly."

Could it hold up? The Phillies entered Friday having scored just 14 runs in their last 11 games, tying the 1902 and 1961 Phillies for the worst 11-game stretch in franchise history. Padres right-hander Mat Latos had retired seven of the first eight hitters he had faced and had not allowed a hit until Halladay singled to right field with one out.

Victorino followed with a two-run home run to right field to give the Phillies a 2-1 lead. It was the team's second home run in 84 innings, and the first time they led a game since Halladay's perfect game on Saturday.

Halladay allowed another run in the fifth to tie the score at 2, but the Phillies took a 3-2 lead in the fifth when Jayson Werth walked with the bases loaded.

The Phillies still have been unable to get the big hit, but Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said he is not worried.

"Our hitters are going to be fine," Manuel said. "It's good for us to win the game. That's what counts. Believe me, there's not a lot of worry about some of our hitters. We're OK."

But until the offense comes around, they will need more performances like the ones they got Friday from Halladay and Lidge.