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05/18 21:52 CDT Cabrera, Alonso lead Padres over Nationals

Cabrera, Alonso lead Padres over Nationals

By BERNIE WILSON AP Sports Writer SAN DIEGO (AP) -- Everth Cabrera singled in the go-ahead run in the eighth against Jordan Zimmermann, and Yonder Alonso homered and helped turn a heads-up double-play as the San Diego Padres beat the Washington Nationals 2-1 Saturday night. Zimmermann (7-2) was trying to become the first player in the majors to eight wins this season. Cabrera singled in Alex Amarista, who reached when catcher Kurt Suzuki fielded his bunt and forced John Baker at second. Zimmermann tried to pick off Amarista but his throw was wide of first baseman Adam LaRoche for an error, allowing Amarista to take second. Cabrera's hit made a winner of Eric Stults (4-3). The left-hander went a season-high eight innings, allowing one run and four hits while striking out five and walking two. Zimmermann also went eight, allowing two runs, one earned, and seven hits. He struck out six and walked none. Huston Street pitched the ninth for his 10th save in 11 chances. Street gave up Chad Tracy's pinch-hit homer in the 10th inning of the Nationals' 6-5 win Friday night. Alonso sent a drive a few rows beyond the home run porch in the right-field corner leading off the second for a 1-0 lead. It was his fifth of the season. The Nationals had runners on second and third with one out in the third after Suzuki walked and Zimmermann reached on an error when second baseman Jedd Gyorko couldn't handle a low throw from Stults on a sacrifice attempt and the ball rolled into foul territory. Denard Span then hit a hard comebacker that ricocheted off Stults right to Alonso, who tagged the bag and then ran over to third, where Zimmermann had joined Suzuki. Zimmermann broke to go back to second and Suzuki was still off third base so Alonso tagged him to end the inning. The Nationals tied it in the sixth on their first two hits off Stults. Suzuki hit a leadoff single to right, advanced on Zimmermann's bunt and scored on Steve Lombardozzi's single to right-center. San Diego's Chase Headley was caught in a rundown between third and home for the third out of the seventh after he didn't see that shortstop Ian Desmond made a nice diving stab at Chris Denorfia's single. Headley rounded third by a few steps and Desmond threw to third. Headley broke for home but was tagged out. NOTES: Nationals OF Bryce Harper sat out with a bruised left knee, the result of his collision with the wall in right field at Dodger Stadium on Monday night. He missed Tuesday night's game, pinch-hit Wednesday and started Thursday and Friday nights. ... LaRoche singled in the seventh to extend his hitting streak to a career-high 15 games. ... The series concludes Sunday with Washington RHP Dan Haren (4-4, 4.76 ERA) opposing RHP Andrew Cashner (2-2, 2.84 ERA). ... The Padres activated LF Carlos Quentin from paternity leave and optioned right-hander Brad Brach to Triple-A Tucson. Quentin did not play in Thursday night's game against Washington and was placed on paternity leave prior to Friday night's game due to the birth of his first child, Clark.