GAME THREAD: GAME THREAD: NL: SAN DIEGO (44-33) at LA DODGERS (45-34)

Young, Kouzmanoff lead Padres in opener vs. Dodgers

<h3>SAN DIEGO 7, LA DODGERS 6</h3><div class="pre">LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- Chris Young continued his outstanding</div>pitching and rookie Kevin Kouzmanoff sparked a big fourth inningwith a home run as the San Diego Padres posted a 7-6 victoryover the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday night.

With the victory, San Diego (45-33) moved a full game ahead ofLos Angeles (45-35) and remained one-half game ahead of Arizona(46-35) for first place in the National League West.

"It's good to be in first, but I'd rather be in first onSeptember 30th than anything else," Young said.

Young (8-3) improved to 6-1 with a 1.29 ERA in his last 11starts despite yielding five steals and a balk. The 6-10righthander was charged with two runs and seven hits, but hewalked just one and struck out nine to win for the first time inseven all-time starts against the Dodgers despite a 2.98 ERA.

"I did a good job minimizing damage and I gave us a shot to winthe game," Young said. "Just executed my pitches and kept theball down but they did hit some pitches that I thought weregood."

Young was touched for solo runs in the first and third frames.Juan Pierre singled with one out in the first, stole second andthird and scored on a groundout by Jeff Kent.

"I know they have a tough team and never quit, but it was a goodwin for the team and for me," Young said.

After San Diego tied it in the second on a run-scoring triple byJose Cruz Jr., Rafael Furcal singled in the third, swipedsecond and raced home on a single to center by Pierre.

However Young struck out Russell Martin and retired Kent on apopout with Pierre at third to escape.

"Chris had a good breaking ball tonight and kept usoff-balance," Martin said. "We battled until the last inningbut we just couldn't get anything going against Chris." MikeCameron opened the decisive frame against Dodgers starter HongChi Kuo (1-4) with a double and scored on first baseman JamesLoney's throwing error after a base hit up the middle by MichaelBarrett. Khalil Greene followed with a single, setting thestage for Kouzmanoff, who blasted a second-pitch offering fromKuo to right field for his seventh homer of the season and a 5-2edge.

"I got a two seam fastball and made good contact," Kouzmanoffsaid. "That was a big inning for us because we gave Chris plentyof support to work with."

Batting just .194 in 144 at-bats vs. righthanders, Kouzmanoff'sthird blast against a lefthander lifted his average to .283(17-for-60) against southpaws.

"We knew coming in here that we had to bring our A game and justplay hard," Kouzmanoff said. "I'm just happy that I helped outwith the bat tonight."

Later in the frame, Marcus Giles singled home a run againstreliever Rudy Seanez and and Adrian Gonzalez increased the bulgeto 7-2 with a ground ball.

The 25-year-old Kuo was tagged for seven runs and six hits in 31/3 frames and has been tagged for 18 runs over his last threestarts covering 10 1/3 innings.

"He (Kuo) just didn't have his best stuff tonight," Dodgersmanager Grady Little said. "We hope he can turn it around inthe next start or two."

The Dodgers rallied for three runs in the eighth, getting RBIsingles by Nomar Garciaparra and Loney before Scott Linebrinkretired Wilson Betemit with a runner on to end the eighth.

"Dodgers battled and didn't let up at all," Padres manager BudBlack said.

San Diego closer Trevor Hoffman yielded a run in the ninth butretired Luis Gonzalez with the tying run at second for his 22ndsave and the 504th of his career.

"Our pen struggled a bit tonight, but that's going to happen ina long season," Young said. "They did what they had to do andkept them off the board long enough to get us a win."

Pierre had three hits and three steals and Garciaparra addedthree hits for the Dodgers, who are beginning a 10-gamehomestand after completing a 6-4 road trip.