Padres Make Use of Burnitz’s Error

Jeromy Burnitz is still getting used to Chicago’s windy Wrigley Field, and Adam Eaton and the San Diego Padres benefited from his inexperience, beating the Cubs, 1-0, Monday.

The Padres scored an unearned run in the sixth inning, three batters after Burnitz, Sammy Sosa’s replacement in right field, dropped Brian Giles’ low line drive.

Ryan Klesko then doubled off the right-field wall, and Giles scored one out later on Ramon Hernandez’s groundout.

“There’s really no feeling worse than a defensive play that costs the team,” said Burnitz, who struck out three times, twice to end an inning with runners in scoring position.

Eaton (1-0) gave up four hits and struck out three without walking a batter in six innings. He threw only 86 pitches.

“Eaton was OK with his pitch count, but he worked pretty hard the outing before,” Manager Bruce Bochy said.

Ryan Dempster (0-2) gave up four hits, walked three and struck out seven in six innings. He threw 105 pitches in his longest start since July 28, 2003, with the Cincinnati Reds.

New York 8, Houston 4 -- Kaz Matsui hit a tiebreaking single with two out in the eighth inning, and the Mets rallied to win their home opener.

Matsui also drove in a run with a bunt single, and Tom Glavine threw six solid innings to help the Mets post their second consecutive victory after starting the season 0-5.

Morgan Ensberg had three hits and a run batted in for Houston, which had won four in a row, all at home.

Milwaukee 6, Pittsburgh 2 -- Russell Branyan homered twice against Kip Wells, and the Brewers won their home opener.

Doug Davis (2-0) beat Wells (0-2) for the second time in a week. Davis, who struck out seven, gave up seven hits and two runs in seven innings.

Philadelphia 4, Florida 1 -- Pat Burrell hit a two-run homer into the upper deck in the first inning at Miami, extending his streak of at least one run batted in in every game.

Burrell’s fourth homer gave him 17 RBIs, most in the major leagues and five shy of the Phillie record for April, set by Von Hayes in 1989.

Atlanta 11, Washington 2 -- Rafael Furcal and Andruw Jones hit two-run homers, and Mike Hampton (1-0) gave up seven hits and a run, to help lift the Braves at Atlanta.

Arizona 2, Colorado 0 -- Brad Halsey, making his first start for the Diamondbacks, struck out a career-best seven in front of 18,742 at Phoenix, the smallest crowd for an Arizona home game in the franchise’s eight seasons.