Hensley Gives Padres the Boost They Need

Clay Hensley came through for the San Diego Padres one day later than expected.

Hensley, scratched from his scheduled start Saturday because of an injury, pitched four strong innings against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday after starter Chris Young left after one inning because of a strained back muscle.

Hensley combined with five other relievers to hold the Diamondbacks in check and, with Mike Cameron’s bases-loaded single in the 10th inning and four hits from Brian Giles, helped the Padres to a 2-1 win over Arizona. The effort by Hensley helped relieve a depleted bullpen.

“He saved us,” Padres Manager Bruce Bochy. “He was a little sore, but he gave us a great effort.”

Hensley was pulled from his start Saturday after he felt pain in his left buttock. When Young had to leave the game, Bochy was concerned about his bullpen having to make up the final eight innings.

“We would really have had to push some guys to give us nine innings,” Bochy said.

The win allowed San Diego to pull into a second-place tie with Arizona in the NL West at 62-62, four games behind the first-place Dodgers, who come to San Diego for a three-game series beginning tonight.

“It was definitely a big lift for our morale,” Cameron said. “The Dodgers are chomping at the bit to knock the other teams out.”