SAN DIEGO -- A sellout crowd of 42,069 at Petco Park and a national TV audience on Fox came out and tuned in to see Dodgers slugger Manny Ramirez.

And while he accommodated by hitting a solo homer in the first inning -- his first since returning from a 50-game suspension and the 534th of his career, tying him for 16th with Jimmie Foxx on baseball's all-time list -- what people witnessed Saturday was the coming-out party for Padres shortstop Everth Cabrera.

A Rule 5 pick from the Colorado Rockies last winter in what might be considered a steal over time, the 22-year-old rookie -- who had never played above Single-A before this season -- dazzled with his glove, arm, legs and bat as the Padres rallied for three runs in the seventh and three more in the eighth for a 7-4 win.

"I don't see it that way," Cabrera said through interpreter Paul Navarro when asked if this was a breakout game. "Every game is important, especially against the Dodgers. I like the pressure of big games. I get very motivated. I like the pressure. I feed off it."

In the second inning, Cabrera smothered James Loney's smash up the middle that hit pitcher Josh Geer. Cabrera raced to the bag to beat the runner Casey Blake and fired a strike to first to finish a double play.

In the third, Cabrera was in the middle of a 2-6-4 double play, and in the fourth, he robbed Ramirez of hit ranging deep into the hole.

In all, the shortstop handled 11 chances flawlessly -- three putouts and eight assists.

At the plate, he tied a career high with three RBIs while hitting in the leadoff spot for only the third time in the big leagues.

Two came on a bases-loaded single to right in the seventh to give the Padres the lead at 3-2.

The third run came in the eighth when he beat out a slow roller up the third base line with a runner at third.

"This is the type of game you can expect from this kid," said Padres manager Bud Black. "He's a very talented young man. Our scouting department did a great job identifying him out of the Rockies system. You saw his arm, range and athleticism today. And it's just a sign of things to come because he works extremely hard.

"The kid is a sponge. He works with Glenn Hoffman on his fielding. He works with Jimmy Lefebvre on his hitting. He works with Rick Renteria on his base running. And he works with (second baseman) David Eckstein on his execution on the field."

Eckstein also had a big day for the Padres with a pair of hits and two RBIs.

"I did OK, but Everth stole the show," said Eckstein, who entered the game fourth in the National League in batting average with runners in scoring position at .389. "He made big plays. He made diving plays. He stuck with a bobble. He changed the game.

"He works so hard because he wants to get better. He asks questions. He has a chance to be something special."

Padres closer Heath Bell was special again Saturday, working 1 2/3 innings for his 23rd save.

Black called on him with one out in the eighth with runners on second and third and the Padres ahead 4-2.

Bell got Andre Ethier on a grounder to short and Casey Blake on a fly ball to left.

After walking James Loney to open the ninth and giving up an RBI single to Matt Kemp, Bell struckout Juan Castro, pinch-hitter Orlando Hudson and Rafael Furcal to end the game.

After the game, though, Bell wanted to talk about his sacrifice bunt in the eighth -- his first at-bat in three seasons with the Padres.

"I told Bud I'd surprise him," Bell said. "I can put the ball in play. I do well in our bunting contests in the spring. "

It's not my dream to get down a sacrifice bunt. My dream is to get a hit. But I can get the job done."

Josh Geer got the job done for the Padres as the starter, going 6 1/3 innings, allowing two runs on seven hits.

The second run came when reliever Greg Burke delivered a wild pitch that scored Blake from third.

The first run came on a hanging changeup to Ramirez.

"Any hitter can hit that," Geer said. "Most good hitters will take advantage of a hanging change. But I'm a fastball-changeup pitcher, so I have to use the change. I got Manny on a changeup later in the game, but it was a good change.

"The story here, though, isn't me, it's Everth. He was amazing. He turned double plays. He made plays in the hole. Made plays up the middle. Knocked in runs. He was the big key today."

Contact staff writer John Maffei at (760) 740-3547.