Gwynn Stays Hot as Padres Scorch Braves

When asked recently about his batting tear, Padre right fielder Tony Gwynn sounded more like one of Tim Flannery’s surfing buddies than Ted Williams.

“Like Flan says, I’ll just ride the wave and get up there and do the things you didn’t think you can do,” Gwynn said.

Gwynn extended his hitting streak to eight games with two singles and a triple in four at-bats Saturday night. He drove in a run, scored a run and set up the Padres’ winning run with a single in the seventh inning of an 8-4 victory over the Atlanta Braves in front of 26,276 fans at San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium.

“Right now, this is the best I’m swinging the bat in my life,” Gwynn said.

Gwynn leads the major leagues in hitting with a .383 average and in hits with 102. He also leads the National League in triples with seven.

And in the last eight games, Gwynn has had three hits five times and has batted .559 (19 for 34) with 9 runs scored, a double, 4 triples and 6 RBIs.

“It’s a shame in that balloting,” said Padre Manager Larry Bowa, referring to the fact that Gwynn is not one of the top three outfielders in the All-Star voting by the fans.

“If he’s not one of the top three outfielders in baseball, who is? That includes Japan, Asia. The only thing he doesn’t do is hit home runs. And if he wanted to do that, he could.”

For the Padres, it was their 11th win in the last 14 games. And now the Padres do not have the fewest wins in the major leagues. San Diego has 26, but both the White Sox and Indians have 25.

The Padres scored the winning run in the seventh. Flannery was walked by reliever Jeff Dedman, and Gwynn followed with a ground ball single to right that moved Flannery to third. Flannery scored to make the score 5-4 when Shane Mack hit into a double play.

San Diego added three insurance runs in the eighth when Randy Ready had a two-run pinch-hit single and Mack hit into a double play.

Once again, the Padres did the little things necessary to win a game that went back and forth.

Atlanta took a quick 1-0 lead in the first on a leadoff double to left by Dion James and single by Rafael Ramirez. The Padres tied it on Carmelo Martinez’s second-inning homer into the seats in left center. It was the ninth home run of the season and fifth in the last 13 games for Martinez.

The Padres took a 3-1 lead with two runs in the fourth. Flannery beat out an infield single on a grounder toward second and scored on Gwynn’s triple down the left field line. After Martinez walked, Gwynn scored on a force out by John Kruk. With the bases loaded and two out, Andy Hawkins bounced into a fielder’s choice.

As the game progressed, the question was whether Hawkins would be able to go more than six innings.

In his last five starts, he has lasted six innings four times and five innings once. His longest performance of the season was eight innings against the Reds April 23, and he hasn’t had a complete game since he beat Montreal on Aug. 19, 1986.

On Saturday, Hawkins lasted 5 innings. He allowed six hits and two runs and walked four.

With one out in the sixth, former Padre Graig Nettles, hitting under .200, hit his third homer of the season into the seats in right-center. As Nettles trotted around the bases, he was greeted by a lot more cheers than boos.

Ozzie Virgil followed Nettle’s homer with a single to left. Glenn Hubbard walked. After throwing one ball to pinch-hitter Andres Thomas, Hawkins was relieved by Lance McCullers.

McCullers got Thomas on a fly to center and struck out James. And in the bottom of the sixth, McCullers helped himself at the plate.

In a 13-minute half-inning that did not feature a hit, the Padres scored on four walks off Dedman, who had just entered the game.

Martinez walked. Mack pinch-ran and stole second. Kruk walked. After being unable to bunt the runners over, Kevin Mitchell bounced a slow roller toward the mound on a 1-2 pitch. Both runners advanced, so it served the same purpose as a bunt. Dedman pitched around Benito Santiago and walked him on four pitches.

Templeton--who had a double and triple Friday night--struck out on a 1-2 pitch that was outside. Leading by a run in the sixth, Bowa opted to allow McCullers to bat.

McCullers--0-5 this season and 2-31 lifetime--walked on four pitches to drive in Mack. The Padres led, 4-2.

The lead was short-lived. Ramirez singled to lead off the seventh, stole second and went to third when Santiago’s good throw went into center field when Templeton was late covering second. Ramirez scored on a wild pitch by McCullers.

Dale Murphy followed with a line-drive homer to center field on a 1-2 pitch. It was Murphy’s 24th home run of the season. The game was tied at 4-4.

McCullers allowed two runs on two hits in 2 innings, but picked up his fourth win. Goose Gossage struck out the side in the ninth.

And the Padres are 8-3 on the homestand.

“Now we expect to win when we come to the park,” Flannery said. “We expect good things to happen and they usually do.”

Padre Notes

During infield practice before Saturday’s game, second baseman Tim Flannery was battered by balls that had taken bad hops. He decided to take matters into his own hands and pour cups of water on the infield. “I’m watering the field,” Flannery said. “Getting the bad hops out of it.” Moments later, Flannery appeared with a big bucket of water and starting emptying it midway between first and second. “You gonna hang 10 here?” dugout coach Greg Riddoch said. . . . There was a strange sight on the field after Friday night’s game. Padre batting coach Deacon Jones was hitting fly balls to left while a beam of lights that shines on the field was adjusted. “It’s not much better,” said Padre left fielder Carmelo Martinez, who was catching the fly balls. Martinez and Astro left fielder Jose Cruz had trouble on this homestand with balls that got caught in a blind spot in the lights. . . . The Chicken celebrated his 13th birthday Saturday night at San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium.