Caminiti Lifts Padres in 14th

Late-inning heroics are nothing new for the San Diego Padres.

Ken Caminiti hit a go-ahead single in the 14th inning Wednesday as San Diego kept up its hot start with a 3-2 victory over the Chicago Cubs at Chicago.

At 15-4, San Diego is off to its best start ever, topping the 1984 NL champions, who began 14-5.

“We’ve had a lot of tight games like this and we’ve come out on top,” Tony Gwynn said.

San Diego is 5-0 in games decided in its final at-bat and 10-2 in games decided by two runs or fewer. The Padres have outscored opponents, 18-2, after the eighth inning.

Caminiti also hit an RBI single in the first inning nearly four hours before he connected on the game-winner. He said the Padres were still thinking about Tuesday night’s 5-3 loss to the Cubs.

“We were upset,” Caminiti said. “We didn’t have that comeback thrill. When they tied it today, we didn’t put our heads down. This team was ready to go for as long as it took.”

With the score 2-2, Amaury Telemaco (0-1) walked Quilvio Veras in the 14th and Steve Finley singled in front of a diving Matt Mieske in left. Caminiti, who also drove in a run in the first, hit a looping single to center and Veras scored easily when Lance Johnson’s throw was off the mark.

Brian Boehringer (3-1) pitched one scoreless inning, and Carlos Reyes pitched a perfect 14th for his first save.

“Everybody’s busting their butts, throwing up zeros,” Reyes said. “It motivates you. You say, ‘I’m not going to be the guy who gives it up.”’

Chicago lost for just the third time in 11 games at Wrigley Field this season.

“You obviously want to win every game,” Cubs starter Kevin Tapani said, “but San Diego has a tough rotation. I think, looking around this room, we’re going to win more games this way than we’ll lose.”

Padres starter Joey Hamilton allowed two runs and five hits, walked five in seven-plus innings.

Tapani, who retired 18 in a row at one stretch, gave up two runs and four hits in seven innings, struck out five and walked one. He is undefeated at Wrigley Field in nine career starts.

NEXT SERIES FOR DODGERS

WHO: Chicago Cubs

WHERE: Ddodger Stadium

WHEN: Friday, 7 P.M.

Saturday, 7 P.M.

Sunday, 1 P.M.