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Peavy, Cameron dazzle as Padres rout Dodgers

Sep 2, 2007 - 6:31 AM By Tim Powers PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

SAN DIEGO (Ticker) - Jake Peavy is making a convincing case in his campaign for the Cy Young Award.

Peavy won his career-best seventh straight game and Mike Cameron belted a grand slam to lead the San Diego Padres to a 7-0 drubbing of the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday.

The 26-year-old Peavy (16-5), who now leads the league in wins, ERA (2.10) and strikeouts (206), shut the Dodgers out over seven fantastic innings on just two hits. The All-Star righthander walked one and struck out nine, retiring the final 13 batters he faced.

"It's a career high for me, so I'm excited," Peavy said. "Personally, it's something I've never done before, and I want to win games for this ballclub. I'd be lying if I told you I wasn't excited to get my 16th win and it's a career high, but more importantly, the team won the series and this game."

Los Angeles never mounted a serious scoring threat against Peavy, who did not allow a runner to reach third base.

"There is no question that (Peavy's) thrown the ball as well as anyone in the National League over the last two months," Padres manager Bud Black said. "He's showing why we feel he's the best pitcher in the National League. There is a month left, and I think if he continues like this, he has to be thought of very highly among those who are being considered."

Relievers Cla Meredith and Joe Thatcher each contributed a scoreless inning for the Padres, who have won 11 of 12.

"We are playing good baseball," Peavy said. "I think finally we're clicking on most cylinders. We're getting pretty good pitching on most nights, and scoring more runs than we were scoring, and playing good defense. We're not beating ourselves, and when we do that, we're a tough team to beat."

Cameron's blast came during San Diego's six-run fifth that knocked Los Angeles starter Derek Lowe (11-12) from the game. Lowe intentionally walked Brian Giles in front of Cameron, who pulled a 1-2 pitch to left that narrowly cleared the fence at the base of the Western Metals Supply Co. building.

"I don't care what kind of success he's had against me," said Cameron, who was 3-for-26 against Lowe prior to the at-bat. "I was surprised that they were walking the bases loaded. You make it easier for me to get a guy home there, and that's all I was trying to do. But, I'll take four of them."

The Padres sent 11 batters to the plate in the frame, building a 7-0 bulge to support Peavy's terrific outing.

"Peavy didn't need but a couple of runs," Cameron said. "It was just icing on the cake for him." Cameron rounded out his standout performance with a flashy defensive play in the sixth, ranging far to his left and diving to snare a line drive off the bat of Andre Ethier. The 2006 Gold-Glove winner finished off the athletic maneuver with a backwards somersault to end up back on his feet.

"Did you see how far I had to (expletive) run?" Cameron said. "It was a pretty (darned) good play, especially having to go into left-center. I don't know, I just got a good run, a good jump, and that was about it. The rest of it is just ability." Lowe exited the game after 4 1/3 innings, allowing six runs - five earned - and six hits. The 33-year-old righthander fell to 0-3 in six career starts at Petco Park. He walked three and struck out four.

"It was a tough battle out there tonight, and we knew it going into the game," Dodgers manager Grady Little said. "That's the way it turned out to be. Peavy was good."

Juan Pierre collected both hits against Peavy for the Dodgers, who have lost seven of eight games to San Diego.

"That ballclub in the series here is the best Padres club we've faced this year," Little said. "If you come in half-stepping, not executing plays, not executing pitches, you're going to have a tough time." Adrian Gonzalez added his career-best 25th home run as San Diego won its third straight series.