Padres, Whitson Finish Off Pirates

Pitching a complete game is such a rarity in baseball these days that even the most routine victory can be a big deal.

It’s safe to say that few people around the country will get excited to read that the Padres beat the Pittsburgh Pirates Sunday, 7-4, thus salvaging a split in the four-game matchup of National League cellar dwellers. Even with the famous Chicken as an added attraction, only 13,219 fans paid their way into San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium on a perfect afternoon.

But who cares about the importance of a game when your pitcher goes nine innings? Ed Whitson’s six-hit, route-going performance made him a hero in the Padre clubhouse after a victory that closed the books on their home stand with a 6-5 record.

This was only the sixth complete game by a San Diego pitcher all season, and the first since Eric Show went all the way July 1. It was Whitson’s first since June 23, also his first victory since then, and his third of the year, tying him with Show for the club lead.

Actually, the Padres’ staff owns seven complete games, but Mark Davis pitched his for the San Francisco Giants before becoming a Padre July 4.

There was a time when complete games were almost taken for granted. Many major leaguers pitched 20 or more in a season. Now the best total in the National League is eight, by 38-year-old Rick Reuschel of the Pirates.

“What a lift that (complete game) gave us,” Padre Manager Larry Bowa said. “We were finally able to give our bullpen a rest. Now with the day off tomorrow, we can get our pitching straightened out again.”

There also was the matter of finishing the home stand over .500, and more important, retaining the distinction of having the best record in the NL West since June 4. The Padres are 24-21 over that stretch, with the Houston Astros second at 24-23.

“We can play with anybody now,” Bowa said. “We dug ourselves a big hole at the start, but nobody went home. That’s a tribute to these guys. Now maybe we can pick up some ground. The Dodgers aren’t tearing it up, and neither are the Braves.”

The Padres’ semi-surge has carried them within 7 1/2 games of both Los Angeles and Atlanta, now tied for fourth place in the West.

Bowa had words of praise for Whitson, who recovered from successive home runs by Bobby Bonilla and Barry Bonds in the second inning to push his record to 9-7.

“He’s a winner,” Bowa said. “He’ll battle you. He’s been out there some days with nothing, but he battles. After what he went through last year, to have the most wins on the team is quite a tribute to him.”

In the most miserable season of his career, Whitson had records of 5-2 with the New York Yankees and 1-7 with the Padres in 1986. This sounds only half bad, but his earned run averages were 7.54 and 5.59, respectively. Moreover, he had no complete games.

Of Sunday’s victory, Whitson said, “Those two home runs shook me up a little bit, but as long as they’re solo home runs, they don’t bother me that much. When you start giving up two-, three- and four-run dingers, you’re in trouble. Once I got my composure back, I was all right.

“The longer I pitched, the better I got. When my arm started feeling tired, I got a good sinker. My confidence is there now. Everything is positive for me.”

The Padres wasted no time with Pirate starter Bob Kipper. Shane Mack hit Kipper’s first pitch for a home run, and Benito Santiago doubled in a second run in the first inning. After Bonilla and Bonds had tied the score with the home runs that ran Whitson’s club-leading total to 25, the Padres chased Kipper with a five-run volley in the fourth.

Luis Salazar, filling in at shortstop while Garry Templeton rested his aching knees, broke the tie with a two-run homer. Carmelo Martinez singled in a run, and two more scored on an error and a wild pitch.

“It was a big win for us,” Bowa said. “Now we’ve got some momentum to take into Cincinnati. Pete Rose probably figures he’s got some patsies coming in, but he’s wrong.”

Padre Notes

Manager Larry Bowa is growing impatient with the continued absence of third baseman Chris Brown from the Padre lineup. Brown missed his fourth straight game Sunday because of a sore right wrist. Asked when Brown might return to duty, Bowa said, “I don’t know. Ask him.”. . . Shortstop Garry Templeton also sat out Sunday’s game because of fluid on his right knee. Bowa said, “I’ll just have to rest him occasionally. He gives it everything he’s got, but both of his knees are bad.” . . . Andy Hawkins’ place in the starting rotation was in question after his second-inning knockout Saturday night, but Bowa said he planned no change. Hawkins has a 3-9 record and a 5.23 earned-run average. . . . Bowa drew glowing praise from a former Chicago Cub teammate, author Jay Johnstone, who was here for the Equitable Old-Timers Game Saturday night. Johnstone said, “Give me nine Larry Bowa’s and I’ll win every year. He’s the greatest competitor I’ve ever seen.”