Padre Notebook : Hurst Is Steady on the Mound, Shaky at Plate

Bruce Hurst, the former Boston pitcher who signed a three-year, $5.25-million free-agent contract with the Padres in December, has yet to pitch against a National League team in five games this spring but already has discovered the biggest difference in changing leagues.

For the first time in his major league career, Hurst is a regular batter. There is no designated hitter to hide behind in the National League. Hurst has to take his swings like everyone else.

So far the lesson has been rough.

Hurst went hitless in three at-bats in a 7-1 exhibition victory over Milwaukee Monday to make him zero for four this spring. That compares to seven for 14 for the rest of the Padre pitchers.

Included in Hurst’s plate appearances were a strikeout on a bunt attempt and a slow ground ball up the middle that would have been an infield hit for almost anyone other than Hurst.

That earned Hurst a message from Milwaukee pitching coach Chuck Hartenstein, who tossed him a ball into play. Hurst said that on the ball was a note: “To No. 47: You can pitch but you’re a lousy hitter.”

Hurst didn’t argue. Instead, he proceeded to get the next two batters out with the ball before it was fouled into the stands.

“The person who got the ball must wonder if we write messages to each other all the time,” Hurst said.

But the Padres are paying Hurst to pitch, not to hit, and he did that near flawlessly against the Brewers. He allowed four hits (none past the second inning) as he pitched six scoreless innings. He struck out six, walked one and retired the last 12 batters in a row.

But despite his success, Hurst said he could not judge his performance fairly because of winds up to 30 m.p.h. that blew in from left field. Hurst said the wind was strong enough to alter pitches and make balance on the mound difficult at times. The wind caused the teams to cancel batting practice.

“I had to gear back at times because if you really throw it hard, it will never be a strike,” Hurst said. “A couple times (the wind) pushed me, shoved me to one side.”

Left fielder Carmelo Martinez continued his hot hitting with his fifth home run, a two-run shot in the seventh, in the Padres’ 7-1 victory over Milwaukee Monday in front of 4,491 at Desert Sun Stadium.

Martinez is second in the majors this spring in home runs, one behind Oakland’s Mark McGwire. Martinez also drove in a run on a grounder in the eighth to give him a team-high 14 RBIs.

Third baseman Tim Flannery and catcher Sandy Alomar Jr., each had two doubles.

Alomar, who had an zero-for-14 streak to start the season, has four hits in his past nine at-bats--a grand slam and three doubles, including a three-run line drive to right-center against the Brewers.

Padre Notes

The Padres cut four players before Monday’s game to bring the total in the major league camp to 34. Reassigned to the minor league camp were infielder Carlos Baerga, outfielder Thomas Howard, and pitchers Ricky Bones and Matt Maysey. All except Bones, who played at Class-A Riverside, finished last season at double-A Wichita. . . . The Padres (11-5-1) conclude a two-game series with Milwaukee today at 12:05. Walt Terrell (1-1, 4.85 earned-run average) will start for the Padres and is expected to be relieved by Dave Leiper and Greg Harris. The Brewers will start Chris Bosio (2-1, 4.86 ERA).