Reliever Petkovsek Silences Padre Bats

Mark Petkovsek, pressed into emergency duty in the second inning after an injury to starter Matt Morris, pitched six shutout innings as the St. Louis Cardinals defeated the San Diego Padres, 1-0, on Saturday night in the first major-league game played in Hawaii.

In the first game of a doubleheader, Petkovsek (2-2) was called in to start the second inning after Matt Morris was struck on his pitching hand by a line drive off the bat of Tony Gwynn.

Petkovsek gave up three hits in six innings and did not allow a San Diego runner beyond first base. He struck out three and walked one.

T.J. Mathews worked out of a jam in the eighth inning. He allowed the first two Padre batters to reach base before striking out Rickey Henderson and getting Quilvio Veras to ground out to first.

Dennis Eckersley pitched the ninth for his third save.

The Cardinal run came in the sixth with two outs. Brian Jordan doubled to left, stole third and scored when John Flaherty’s throw bounced past third baseman Ken Caminiti.

San Diego starter Sterling Hitchcock (2-1) settled down after a rough first inning.

Hitchcock gave up consecutive singles to Royce Clayton and Dmitri Young and a walk to Ron Gant before getting out of the inning on a pair of forceouts at the plate and a strikeout of John Mabry.

Hitchcock then retired 14 of the next 15 batters before Jordan’s double.

Morris, making his third start, was hit between the thumb and index finger. X-rays were negative and Morris’ status was listed as “day-to-day.”

Morris took the mound to start the second, but his first warm-up pitch sailed over the head of Mike Difelice. He walked off the mound at that point and Manager Tony La Russa brought in Petkovsek.