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Young flirts with perfection as Padres roll

Sep 7, 2008 - 10:12 PM By David Cotey PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

MILWAUKEE (Ticker) -- San Diego Padres righthander Chris Young was nearly perfect. The Milwaukee Brewers were far from it.

The 29-year-old righthander took a perfect game into the eighth inning before Gabe Kapler homered with two outs in the frame as the Padres beat the Brewers, 10-1, Sunday but remained one of just four teams in major league history without a no-hitter.

Young's gem helped the Padres earn a split of the four-game series with the National League wild card-leading Brewers, who have lost five of seven. Milwaukee (82-61) remained four games behind the Chicago Cubs (86-57) in the National League Central Division.

"As the game went on, as he got into the eighth inning, I wondered, 'What if?'" Padres manager Bud Black said. "What a bright day it would be for Chris if ultimately what could have happened, happened. He's persevered (through injuries) ... to come back, he wants to finish September on a high note and today was a great sign."

Kapler hit a 1-0 pitch over the left-field wall after Young (5-5) retired the first 23 batters he faced. Young settled for his first career complete game with two hits and five strikeouts, hurling 66 of his 96 pitches for strikes. It was his first victory since May 16.

The home rum came on a fastball after Young shook off catcher Nick Hundley, who called for a curveball. Young said it was one of only three times he shook off Hundley.

"The guy pitched a great baseball game and our job is to battle until the end," Kapler said. "We'd prefer to not have them celebrate something like a no-hitter - any team for that matter - on our field. It's gratifying that it didn't happen.

"That said, it wasn't a good game. We didn't play good defense, we didn't swing the bats well and we didn't pitch."

The game marked the 13th time a Padres' pitcher carried a no-hitter into the eighth inning, but San Diego remained without a no-hitter, along with the New York Mets, Colorado Rockies and Tampa Bay Rays.

Young, himself, now has the last three near no-hitters for the Padres. He pitched seven innings of no-hit ball against the Colorado Rockies on May 30, 2006, and later that season, he lost his no-hitter when Pittsburgh Pirates pinch-hitter Joe Randa hit a two-run home run with one out in the ninth.

"(Those near-misses) calmed me a little bit, but the lead was to a point where I didn't have to worry about it," Young said. "If I gave up a hit, or if I gave up a three-run homer, we'd still be winning. At that point it didn't matter."

Sunday's gem was a highlight for a difficult season for Young, who missed nearly two months earlier this season with a broken nose after getting hit by a line drive by St. Louis' Albert Pujols. He also missed time with a strained right forearm.

"It's been a long road for me," Young said. "It's been a lot of time sitting out watching. It's been hard, especially the way the season has gone for us as a team. "It's gratifying to be back out there and have a game like today. I think I have three more and I want to finish those strong."

Young got all the offensive support he needed in a five-run third inning and was helped out by a pair of miscues from Milwaukee.

With one out, Young doubled off Brewers starter Manny Parra (10-7) to start the Padres' big inning. Brewers shortstop J.J. Hardy mishandled a ground ball hit by Matt Antonelli and Chip Ambres walked to load the bases.

Kevin Kouzmanoff followed with a ground ball to third baseman Bill Hall, but instead of turning a potential inning-ending double play, Hall had the ball bounce off his chest and into foul territory as two runners scored.

Adrian Gonzalez followed with a two-run single, and Will Venable capped the scoring with an RBI hit.

"We had two big errors, two walks and four hits in that (third) inning," Brewers manager Ned Yost said. "We did have a chance to get out of the inning if Billy catches the ball, but Billy took his eye off it for a split second trying to find the bag and then it got by him."

Chase Headley added a solo home run in the fifth off Parra, who allowed six runs - one earned - and six hits with three walks and five strikeouts over five innings. Parra has lost five of his last six decisions.

Kouzmanoff homered to lead off the seventh as San Diego added four more runs off reliever David Riske to put the game out of reach.