Templeton Finds Gain After Pain : Bothered by Injuries Most of Year, Veteran Delivers Key Triple

Graig Nettles hit two home runs Thursday at San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium, but he was not the only big story of the Padres’ 8-3 victory over San Francisco.

Eric Show gave up five hits in seven innings for the victory, but he, too, had to share the limelight.

The big news is that No. 1 is back.

Shortstop Garry Templeton, who wears No. 1 on his jersey, went 2 for 4 and continued to battle out of an early-season slump. His one-out triple off Greg Minton in the sixth inning scored Carmelo Martinez and Nettles to put San Diego ahead, 6-2. Templeton, now hitting .221, has 10 RBIs in his last eight games.

“He had the hit that broke the game open,” Tony Gwynn said.

Before last week, Templeton hadn’t hit many game-breakers. Bothered by a lower back injury, Templeton drove in five runs in 53 games. But he did not blame the injury for his slow start. For Templeton, playing with pain goes with the territory.

“I admire his dedication,” Steve Garvey said. “A normal guy would sit still, but Templeton is playing. Injuries and pain separate the leaders from the rest of the players. He’s a leader.”

Templeton’s injury occurred in the first week of the season. The Padres were in Cincinnati and Templeton thought he had simply pulled a hamstring on the artificial turf at Riverfront Stadium.

A month later in Philadelphia, Templeton had his back checked and found that the hamstring wasn’t causing him problems--he had injured his sciatic nerve, which runs from his lower back to his hamstring.

He missed two games during San Diego’s next series, at New York, but has been in the lineup since.

“He wasn’t getting the big hit and we missed that earlier,” Manager Steve Boros said, “but he’s got it now. I don’t think he is 100%, but he is hitting fine.”

At the beginning of the season, Templeton experimented with a new batting stance to give him more power. But the new stance, combined with the nerve problem, made things worse. Templeton struggled to keep his average above .200.

“I went back to last year’s stance quick,” Templeton said. “I feel good now; just have to keep it going.”

And keep concentrating. Templeton prides himself on taking each at-bat one at a time, and his start this year warranted such discipline.

“I have gone 0 for 30 several times in my career, but I don’t get frustrated,” Templeton said. “I don’t worry because it is a long season.”

Templeton’s attitude has rubbed off on other Padres.

“He’s taught me a lot,” rookie second baseman Bip Roberts said. “He’s tough, mentally and physically. Tempy’s an asset to any ballclub by just being out there.”

Gwynn said the Padres could survive without any one of their current players, except for Templeton.

“He runs the show,” Gwynn said. “Without Tempy we’d be in big trouble.”