Padres Romp to 14-2 Rout of the Cubs

No, the Padres and Chicago Cubs did not exchange uniforms before Sunday afternoon’s game.

Those really were the Padres with season highs of 14 runs and 19 hits. Those really were the Cubs balking in two runs and making errors that led to five others.

The result was San Diego’s first laugher of the year, a 14-2 victory that ended its third five-game losing streak of 1987.

It was a strange game, indeed. Just how strange was it?

Padre pitcher Ed Whitson had the first two-hit and two-RBI game--as a batter--of his career. Cub pitcher Jay Baller balked home two runs before he even threw a pitch.

The only predictable factor was Tony Gwynn, who was given Silver Bat and Gold Glove awards before the game. Those signified him as the National League’s top right fielder offensively and defensively in 1986.

Gwynn will remember his offensive day Sunday as he drove in two of San Diego’s first three runs with a home run and single. The 14,682 fans in attendance will remember the day because they were given posters of Gwynn.

“I got a Gold Glove, Silver Bat and game-winning RBI on Tony Gwynn poster day,” Gwynn said. “I guess it was my day from the start.”

Actually, it was as much Whitson’s day as Gwynn’s.

Whitson, a .120 career hitter, drove in runs with singles in the second and fifth. Before Sunday, Padre pitchers had one hit all season, a single by Storm Davis. Whitson became the first Padre pitcher to drive in a run.

When Whitson arrived at his locker afterward, he found Gwynn’s Silver Bat in his cubicle.

“The Silver Bat is mine for a day, right?” Whitson asked.

Whitson was asked if he likes batting.

“I’ll stick to pitching, but I like to hit,” Whitson said. “I’ll take my hacks. If I strike out, I’ll go sit down.

Luis Salazar was 4 for 4. Benito Santiago drove in three runs with a single and sacrifice fly. Randy Ready hit a bases-loaded two-run double.

The Padres also scored on a single by Garry Templeton, a bases-loaded walk by Stan Jefferson and a ground ball by Marvell Wynne.

San Diego had 17 singles, Ready’s double and Gwynn’s home run.

“It’s painful to watch that,” Chicago Manager Gene Michael said. “Everything they hit dropped in. What did they get, 19 hits? In eight innings, that’s almost 2 1/2 an inning. Six of those were bloopers that just dropped in over our infielders. But I really can’t complain. We’ve been playing very well, a lot better than we played last year.”

The Padres are off to their worst start with an 8-25 record.

But for one day, all of the negatives were put aside.

“Everything went pretty much our way today,” Manager Larry Bowa said. “It’s just nice to see runs. It relieves a lot of tension on our pitchers. They know they can make a mistake and it’s not going to kill them.”

Meanwhile, the Cubs made destructive mistakes.

With the Padres leading in the fifth, 3-2, Carmelo Martinez hit an apparent inning-ending double-play ball. However, third baseman Keith Moreland booted the ball, leaving runners on first and second.

After Ready’s bloop single loaded the bases, Baller entered the game in relief of Jamie Moyer.

Baller twice was called for balks because he wasn’t coming to a complete stop in his stretch. Both times, runners were forced in from third.

The Padres scored five runs in both the fifth and sixth, tying their season high for an inning. Cub left fielder Jerry Mumphrey dropped a fly ball in the seventh, leading to another Padre run.

“We had everything fall, which was nice,” Ready said. “(It was) a complete turnaround. Take a look at Chicago, it has been doing this for a while. All the teams we have played have been getting those breaks.”

Even when the Padres weren’t getting breaks Sunday, they were earning praise.

Whitson, for example, was complimented even though he was thrown out in the fifth.

He had just singled to center, driving in his second run. When the throw from the outfield went to third base, Whitson unsuccessfully attempted to take second.

“He got two hits, two RBIs and was thrown out being aggressive,” Gwynn said. “I love it. We need to play like that. Eddie Whitson showed he’ll give it all he has, regardless of the situation. We all can learn from that.”

Padre Notes

Steve Garvey was scheduled to make his first start in eight days Sunday but was a late scratch. Garvey aggravated his tender left shoulder swinging at a pitch as a pinch-hitter Saturday night. . . . Greg Booker earned his first major league save. He shut out the Cubs on two hits over the final three innings. “I wanted him to get a save,” Manager Larry Bowa said. “He’s one of the young guys who has to become consistent.” . . . Padre pitchers have three hits in 60 at-bats this season. . . . Tony Gwynn reached base nine times in 14 plate appearances against the Cubs in the series. He reached base 15 times in 30 plate appearances on the homestand. . . . Fourteen runs were the most San Diego has scored since scoring 15 against Cincinnati Sept. 5, 1984. . . . Catcher Benito Santiago did not start for the second straight game Sunday. However, Santiago entered the game in the sixth inning after John Kruk had pinch-hit for Bruce Bochy.