By BERNIE WILSON
AP Sports Writer

SAN DIEGO(AP) -- Oscar Salazar had just one thought as he raced
dangerously close to the left-field wall while tracking Willie
Harris' fly ball.

"Ball first," Salazar said. "Whatever happens after that,
happens."

Normally an infielder, Salazar helped preserve San Diego's 3-1
win over Livan Hernandez and the Washington Nationals on Monday
night with a spectacular, over-the-shoulder catch.

Salazar slammed into the pitcher's scoreboard and bruised his
left knee, forcing him out of the game. He also scraped his left
elbow and hit his face.

"I got a chance to catch the ball," said Salazar, who impressed
manager Bud Black and starter Tim Stauffer. "I was going for
it."

Salazar, who made his first start this season in the outfield,
expects to be able to play Tuesday night.

"That's a tough play," Black said. "Directly over your head
going straight back, off the bat of a lefty, which has a little
slice to it, it's always sort of moving. And when you're
approaching the wall, it's not a comfortable feeling, and to
still make the play, it's great."

Salazar's catch came with a runner on first, one out and the
Padres leading 2-1. He bounced off the scoreboard, limped a few
steps, threw the ball in, then fell to the grass and grabbed his
left knee.

After being tended to, he walked off on his power and was
replaced by Drew Macias.

Two batters earlier, Will Nieves tried to stretch a single into
a double and was thrown out by right fielder Will Venable.

"The overall team defense has really picked up," Black said.
"It's really saving pitches for us."

Stauffer agreed.

"It makes you want to pitch quickly and efficiently, because if
you're doing that, usually plays are being made and guys aren't
sitting back," he said. "We've been fortunate to have been
making big plays."

David Eckstein and Kevin Kouzmanoff hit RBI doubles in the first
inning, and Chase Headley added a pinch-hit home run in the
eighth in a matchup of last-place teams.

Hernandez (7-9) threw the 47th complete game of his career and
second this season. He also had a complete game in a 6-1 win for
the New York Mets against the Nationals on May 26.

Hernandez lost 8-3 to the Padres at Petco Park on Aug. 6 while
with the Mets. He was released by the Mets on Aug. 23 and signed
with the Nationals last Tuesday.

Hernandez allowed three runs and seven hits in eight innings in
his second start with Washington. He struck out five and walked
one.

"All the pitches I threw were very nice," Hernandez said. "I
made a mistake in the last inning on the home run."

Hernandez reached base twice and scored the Nationals' only run.
He dropped to 1-6 in nine career starts against San Diego, and
0-5 in seven starts at Petco Park.

Padres right-hander Tim Stauffer won consecutive starts for the
first time this season, allowing one run on seven hits in 6 2-3
innings.

Stauffer (3-6) was chased by Pete Orr's two-out single in the
seventh. Adam Russell relieved and got Ryan Zimmerman to ground
out. Stauffer struck out five and walked three.

Heath Bell pitched the ninth for his 32nd save in 35 chances.

San Diego's first two batters reached and scored. Everth Cabrera
hit a leadoff single and scored from first when Eckstein's bloop
double went into the Nationals' bullpen down the right-field
line, rattled around in the chairs and ricocheted back onto the
field. Eckstein scored on Kouzmanoff's one-out double.

"It was a bad inning," Hernandez said. "There was the blooper
and it went into the bullpen. The guy - Cabrera - is fast. After
that I tried to keep the game close to we have a chance to win."

Hernandez "did a great job," manager Jim Riggleman said. "He
gave us a chance to win the ballgame. We just couldn't get over
the hump."

Hernandez singled leadoff off the third, took second on a wild
pitch and scored on Orr's one-out bloop single. He also bunted
into an inning-ended, bases-loaded double play in the fourth.

Headley's homer in the eighth was his 10th.

NOTES: Hernandez is 0-1 with a 3.21 ERA in two starts with the
Nationals. ... Padres rookie OF Kyle Blanks has a partial tear
in his plantar fascia and will have his right foot placed in a
cast. Blanks was placed on the 15-day disabled list on Saturday.
He'll be re-evaluated in a week.