Dawson’s Revenge Continues : Chicago Slugger Has 2 More Home Runs as Cubs Rout Padres

According to a dictionary, revenge can be defined several ways. Will somebody inform Chicago’s Andre Dawson that Tuesday night was one of them?

Somebody tell him that July 7 was nearly a year ago. Somebody remind him that a Padre pitcher hit him only once .

Dawson continued his march through the Padre psyche Tuesday, hitting home runs for the second and third times in two days here, adding a double, driving in four runs, and generally enjoying a laugh as the Cubs handed the Padres their fourth straight loss, 13-5.

Dawson’s presence helped push the Padres to the depths of their poorest, unluckiest and most frustrating game of the season, all at once. They finally went over the brink because of, of all things, a missing pitcher. Call it one of the strangest stories this season.

Before the game, reliever Dave Leiper was placed on the disabled list and reliever Keith Comstock was recalled from triple-A Las Vegas. Comstock was supposed to catch a plane and arrive by the start of the game. Without him, the Padres were working with a bullpen of four men, one fewer than usual, and their two middle relievers were both weary from recent work.

Thus, when starter Ed Whitson was struggling in the third inning en route to allowing seven runs on six hits, members of the coaching staff asked, “Where is Comstock?” They were informed that he had missed his plane and was driving from Las Vegas.

The coaches then asked, “Isn’t there more than one flight a day from Las Vegas?”

Whatever, Comstock didn’t arrive and middle reliever Candy Sierra, who replaced Whitson in the fourth, was forced to stay in the game into the fifth, allowing four runs on five hits.

After replacing Whitson and allowing three Cub runs in the fourth, Sierra was even forced to bat for himself with a runner on third in the bottom of the inning. He struck out and then faced three batters in the fifth, allowing three straight hits before weary Greg Booker (four innings in last two days) was dragged in.

“I’m not going to say anything about the pitching situation, you have to ask the front office people,” the frustrated manager, Larry Bowa, said afterward. “My hands were tied.”

Said General Manager Jack McKeon: “I don’t know where (Comstock) is. He was supposed to be on the 5:40 plane. He talked to his manager (Steve Smith) this afternoon, and that’s all I know.”

Bowa said, “I’ll just say, not one guy on this team is not working hard, not one guy is not giving 100%. That’s all I can ask for.”

That, and maybe not seeing Dawson again.

Six at-bats after his lead-off homer Monday, Dawson hit another one in the third inning Tuesday, a two-run shot off Whitson. Eight batters and one inning later, he had his second homer, the longest ball hit in San Diego this season, about a 425-foot rip off Sierra that came with two runners on. It gave the Cubs an 8-3 lead they never lost.

In his last 12 games against the Padres--five since his July 7 beaning by Eric Show--Dawson has hit 11 homers, five of them here.

“All I can say is, maybe they are throwing the ball at my swing,” said Dawson, who has a National League-leading nine homers. “I can’t explain it. Sometimes a player has luck against one club or another.”

It was all in a crazy, awful, how-are-they-going-to-turn- this -page night’s work.

The Cubs scored their first run in the first inning after a weak Dave Martinez bunt was left alone to drift foul. After creeping down the third-base line for several seconds, it stopped fair. Two batters later, after Dawson’s double and Rafael Palmiero’s fly, Martinez scored.

The Cubs scored their second and third runs in the third when a fan along the third-base line distracted Chris Brown on a blowing pop foul.

PADRES AT A GLANCE

FIRST INNING

Cubs--With one out, Martinez bunted safely. Dawson doubled to left, Martinez stopping at third. Palmeiro flied to center, Martinez scoring with Dawson taking third. Law struck out. One run, two hits, one left.

Padres--With one out, Alomar singled to left and took second on a wild pitch. Kruk and Moreland walked, loading the bases. Santiago forced Moreland, Alomar scoring with Kruk stopping at third. Brown singled to center, Kruk scoring and Santiago stopping at second. Wynne grounded to first. Two runs, two hits, two left.

THIRD INNING

Cubs--With two out, Martinez walked and stole second. Dawson homered to right, his eighth. Palmeiro singled to left. Law struck out. Two runs, two hits, one left.

Padres--Alomar homered to left, his second. Kruk struck out. Moreland flied to right. Santiago grounded to third. One run, one hit.

FOURTH INNING Cubs--Grace walked. Sundberg singled to left, Grace stopping at second. Dunston singled to center, loading the bases. Schiraldi walked, Grace scoring with the bases remaining loaded. Sierra replaced Whitson. Sandberg flied to left, Sundberg scoring with Dunston taking third. Martinez struck out. Dawson homered to left, his ninth. Palmeiro singled to center. Law struck out. Five runs, four hits, one left.

FIFTH INNING

Cubs--Grace singled to left. Sundberg doubled to left, Grace stopping at third. Dunston singled to right, Grace scoring with Sundberg stopping at third. Booker replaced Sierra. Schiraldi struck out. Sandberg walked, loading the bases. Martinez singled to right, Sundberg and Dunston scoring with Sandberg taking third and Martinez taking second on Gwynn’s fielding error. Dawson popped to first. Palmeiro lined to third. Three runs, four hits, one error, two left.

SIXTH INNING Cubs--With one out, Grace doubled to left. Sundberg singled to center, Grace stopping at third. Dunston lined to the pitcher. Schiraldi reached second on center fielder Wynne’s fielding error, Grace and Sundberg scoring. Sandberg flied to second. Two runs (unearned), two hits, one error, one left.

EIGHTH INNING Padres--Kruk reached first on first baseman Grace’s fielding error. Kruk took second on Schiraldi’s wild pitch. Moreland walked. Bielecki replaced Schiraldi. Parent popped to first. Brown singled to right, loading the bases. Wynne singled to left, Kruk scoring with Moreland stopping at third and Brown stopping at second. Templeton lined to third. Martinez flied to right. One run (unearned), two hits, three left.

NINTH INNING Padres--Abner doubled to left. Alomar singled to right, Abner scoring. Kruk singled to right, Alomar stopping at second. Moreland flied to left. Parent flied to right, Alomar taking third. Ready walked, loading the bases. Wynne struck out. One run, three hits, three left.