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Error earns Padres win over Marlins

Jul 5, 2007 - 5:17 AM SAN DIEGO (Ticker) -- Chris Young turned in an impressive start to solidify his All-Star case, but it was his bullpen that decided the game.

A wild bottom of the ninth ended with Mike Cameron crossing the plate on an error to lift the San Diego Padres to a 1-0 victory over the Florida Marlins.

The Marlins' bullpen held strong for three innings until Cameron doubled to lead off the ninth. After intentionally walking Khalil Greene, righthander Matt Lindstrom yielded a bunt to Hiram Bocachica, who reached when Cameron beat the throw to third to load the bases.

Lindstrom (1-3) then got Kevin Kouzmanoff to ground to third baseman Miguel Cabrera, who threw home in an effort to force Cameron at the plate. However, Marlins catcher Miguel Olivo dropped the ball, allowing Cameron to score the winning run.

"I was just trying to like really get in the line of fire from Miguel Cabrera, and just try to take (Olivo's) feet out, so he couldn't get a double play," Cameron said. "I saw that he dropped the ball after I tried to kick his feet."

"We got the ground ball," Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "We tried to make a play, and it got by."

The perfect bunt by Bocachica was pivotal, loading the bases instead of having runners on second and third with one out.

"I wanted to bunt it to third base, and I was just trying to catch the ball with the bat," Bocachica said. "(Lindstrom) throws pretty hard, and I guess we got lucky and most importantly, we got the win."

The victory marked the fourth time this season the Padres have earned a 1-0 win, and ran their shutout total to 12 on the season.

"When you win these, it makes you feel awful good," Padres manager Bud Black said. "We feel comfortable, as much as you can, in these types of games, because we play them (frequently)."

Young tossed seven scoreless innings, allowing five hits while striking out nine without walking a batter.

The 6-10 righthander improved his case to be voted on as the final member of the National League All-Star team. In his eight home starts this year, Young has allowed just five earned runs in 55 innings (0.82 ERA).

"I'm not into statements," Young said. "I'm just trying to help my team win a game tonight. That's the only thing I care about. There was no extra meaning or anything like that."

Young handed the ball over to the game's best bullpen, and Scott Linebrink and Heath Bell (2-2) did not disappoint, combining to allow one hit in two scoreless frames.

Josh Johnson, making his fourth start since returning from an elbow injury, shut out San Diego for five innings. The 23-year-old righthander gave up three hits and struck out four. He did not walk a batter but left prior to the sixth inning with a stiff forearm.

"When he went back out there (in the sixth), it was the forearm in his warm-ups," Gonzalez said. "We saw him trying to shake it and trying to get it loose. So, that was all we needed to get him out of there."

The Marlins announced after the game that Johnson will go on the 15-day disabled list and outfielder Eric Reed will be recalled from Class AAA Albuquerque to fill Johnson's spot on the roster.

Florida got off to a promising start as Alfredo Amezaga led off the game with a triple. Young froze Amezega at third with two strikeouts and an infield pop-up.

San Diego put runners on first and second to open the fifth with a pair of singles by Greene and Josh Bard. But, Johnson retired the next three batters to end the threat.

"(Johnson) was dealing," Gonzalez said. "It was a good sign, because we had seen (him do well) for a couple of innings in his last outing. He was downhill, good life on his fastball, and his breaking ball was very good."