SAN DIEGO -- It was business as usual for the sensational CC Sabathia on Wednesday. He notched another win, even though the Padres made him work for it.

Sabathia did not cruise through this start like some of his others, but that did not stop him from preserving his perfect record with Milwaukee and helping his new team to its eighth straight victory, a 7-1 yawner over the Padres at PETCO Park that had many fans heading for the exits before Sabathia finished his seven-inning stint.

"I feel like I'm pitching pretty good," Sabathia said.

If this is, "pretty good," Sabathia's Brewers teammates would love to see what else he has in store. He has won 10 straight decisions dating to his final days with the Indians and is 7-0 with a 1.55 ERA in eight Brewers starts since the July 7 trade.

He surrendered nine Padres hits on Wednesday night but allowed only one run in seven innings. Sabathia struck out eight and walked one.

He got help once again from first baseman Prince Fielder, who started the scoring with a solo home run in a three-run second inning that included Sabathia's run-scoring groundout. It was Fielder's second go-ahead home run in as many nights.

Corey Hart added a three-run triple in a four-run fifth inning as Milwaukee piled on against Padres starter Josh Banks (3-5). Banks was charged with seven earned runs on five hits in 4 1/3 innings.

"He's been everything we thought he'd be," Hart said of Sabathia. "When he's out there, we feel like we don't have to score a lot because he's not going to give up a lot. He's been pitching as well as anybody in the National League right now. I think we're more relaxed because the pressure is not there to score five runs."

But they have been scoring for Sabathia. The Brewers have scored more than three runs in six of Sabathia's eight starts, and he won the other two.

"I like the way he plays," Fielder said. "It's a lot of fun to play for him. When you know you don't have to score a lot of runs, you just relax and good things happen. You know you have to just get him a couple."

Even with the win, the Brewers lost ground to the Cubs, who swept a doubleheader in Atlanta on Wednesday and hold a 3 1/2-game lead in the National League Central.

The Brewers acquired Sabathia to help close that gap, and he had worked into the ninth inning of each of his past two starts including a 103-pitch, five-hit shutout of Washington on Aug. 8 at Miller Park. But he had to grind against the Padres, who had a baserunner in every inning but the third and tallied nine hits against the left-hander.

Sabathia walked one and struck out eight.

"They did do a good job of having some good at-bats, making me work, putting the bat on the ball," Sabathia said. "I have to tip my cap to them because they did a pretty good job. I felt like I had pretty good stuff tonight, and they made me work."

Sabathia needed 114 pitches to do it, but he escaped in every inning but the fourth, when catcher Nick Hundley grounded into a run-scoring fielder's choice that briefly cut Milwaukee's lead to 3-1.

Hart extended the lead in the top of the fifth inning against Banks, a right-hander making his first career start against the Brewers. With first base open, Banks intentionally walked Fielder to load the bases with one out for Hart, who yanked a 1-and-2 pitch over third base for a triple that scored three runs.

"That's why we've got Corey hitting behind Prince in that spot," Brewers manager Ned Yost said. "He has the knack and that ability to pick up those big at-bats. If they do have a situation where there's a base open, I want an All-Star behind Prince that's going to hopefully make somebody pay."

Hart scored from third on Craig Counsell's sacrifice fly for a 7-1 lead but the Padres threatened in the bottom of the inning, loading the bases on three consecutive singles to lead off the inning.

After a visit with pitching coach Mike Maddux, Sabathia escaped by retiring the heart of San Diego's lineup in order. Kevin Kouzmanoff popped out, Adrian Gonzalez struck out swinging on a pitch away and Chase Headley grounded into an inning-ending force out.

"It was more of a grind for him tonight," Yost said. "But he does not give in. He does not allow big innings to happen. ... Any team can climb back into a game, quick, in that situation. He didn't allow that to happen."

Yost is mulling his starting rotation for the remainder of the season and will have to make some sort of adjustment when the Brewers have three off-days in the span of eight days beginning next week. If they keep Sabathia as close as possible to an every-fifth-day schedule, the Brewers could squeeze nine more starts out of the left-hander.

That would be just fine with Fielder.

"We're excited to have him," said Fielder, who isn't exactly surprised by Sabathia's success. "He's an unbelievable pitcher, don't get me wrong. But he's a Cy Young winner, too. I knew he was going to do well."