DeLeon Zeros In on Padres : St. Louis Wins Sixth Consecutive Game With 6-0 Decision

One of the reasons Jack McKeon pried Jack Clark away from the Yankees last October was for Clark’s leadership abilities.

Monday, on the opening night of a seven-game home stand, the Padres played follow the leader. Problem was, Clark led by swinging--and missing.

And the rest of the Padres didn’t do much better, as their 6-0 whitewashing at the hands of St. Louis and Jose DeLeon indicates.

Clark has now faced DeLeon 11 times in his career. He has struck out seven times. That counts Clark’s plate appearance in the second inning Monday, when he swung and missed at strike three. And it counts his appearance in the fourth, when he stood and looked at strike three.

“He’s kind of found himself--he’s one of the few pitchers besides Nolan Ryan that every time he pitches, he’s capable of throwing a no-hitter,” Clark said. “I would compare him to Mike Scott. He’s that good.”

Clark’s teammates didn’t do much better. Although the Padres got at least one hit in five of the first seven innings, none of the hits came when they were most needed. Four double plays erased any threat of a rally and did nothing to please a San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium crowd of 31,393 anxious to welcome the club home from its 8-5 trip.

Previously, DeLeon was best known for fashioning a 2-19 record in Pittsburgh in 1985. But his fastball has been balancing nicely with his breaking ball lately, the defense behind him has been good, and DeLeon has turned things around.

That’s why, entering Monday’s game, he led National League pitchers in opponents’ batting average (.141) and was tied for the league lead in victories (4-1). And that wasn’t all. He was tied for fifth in the league in earned run average (1.96) and tied for second in innings pitched (41 1/3).

And what Padre game would be complete without an error? Three more were committed Monday. Although only the second one, John Kruk’s misplay of Tony Pena’s bases-loaded single, led to any of the Cardinals’ half-dozen runs, they did increase San Diego’s season total to 33.

Even if the Padres had gotten a few more hits, and even if they had committed fewer errors, starter Bruce Hurst’s night wouldn’t have been easy. The Cardinals arrived in town ranked second in the league in three major categories--batting (.268), pitching (3.07 earned-run average), and fielding (.986%).

So it wasn’t long, then, before they were on their way to their sixth consecutive victory. Hurst (3-2) held them in check for two innings, allowed a run in the third, and then was bombed for five runs on six hits in the sixth. His evening finished after the seventh inning, after six runs (all earned), 10 hits, a walk and three strikeouts.

“I wasn’t very focused,” Hurst said. “I was working hard and fast. I have a tendency to get going too quickly. I need to back off, slow down and let them think about it for a while. When I work too fast, I get elevated in the strike zone. And that’s when I get hurt.”

It certainly wasn’t the Bruce Hurst who had won his last three decisions. But Hurst was driven from the mound by some slap-happy Cardinal hitters--of the 10 hits Hurst allowed, nine were singles. Only Vince Coleman’s seventh-inning double to right went for extra bases.

“They’re a pesky bunch,” McKeon said. “They’re good two-strike hitters. They put the ball in play. You saw the results in that five-run inning.”

The Cardinals did all the things the Padres didn’t in terms of putting the ball in play. San Diego’s best chance to score came in the fifth, when the Padres loaded the bases with the score, 1-0, and only one out. The threat ended quickly when Roberto Alomar hit a hard grounder to short, which Ozzie Smith gobbled up to start an inning-ending double play.

“I hope some of our guys were watching those guys,” McKeon said. “That’s what I’m talking about. They just put the ball in play.”

That was something the Padres had trouble doing against DeLeon, who struck out eight and allowed just six hits.

“I knew he could pitch, but I didn’t know he was that tough,” McKeon said.

Said St. Louis Manager Whitey Herzog: “George Brett told me he would rather face anybody but DeLeon.”

It was a game that Padre fans should have been able to recognize early on. The first error arrived early--in the first inning. With two out, Terry Pendleton grounded to Tim Flannery, who fielded the ball cleanly and then launched a rainbow to first. Clark didn’t even bother jumping. He just watched the ball arc over his head.

Pendleton reached second on the error, bringing Pedro Guerrero (.275, three home runs) to the plate. But Guerrero didn’t even get to swing the bat. On a one-ball count, Pendleton took off for third. Santiago snapped a throw to Flannery to get Pendleton and keep the game scoreless.

Flannery redeemed himself in the third. St. Louis was ahead, 1-0, and Coleman was on first when Flannery made a diving stop on a Smith ground ball, got up and threw him out at first.

The Cardinals increased their 1-0 lead when Tom Brunansky, an old Hurst nemesis from their American League days, batted in the sixth. Brunansky, who entered the game with a lifetime .577 (15 for 26) batting average against Hurst, singled to center to score Pendleton.

Unfortunately for Hurst, it was just the beginning.

Padre Notes

Injured outfielder Shane Mack met with Manager Jack McKeon before Monday’s game to discuss his return. According to Mack, he told McKeon he could return in two or three days. If that’s the case, look for him to be optioned to triple-A Las Vegas. Mack, who has been out since spring training with bone chips in his right elbow, joined the Padres on their just-completed trip to take extra batting practice. He took his second cortisone shot April 15 and started hitting in Atlanta on April 21. Mack said there is no pain when he swings, but he’s still working on getting full extension on his arm.

Despite Andy Benes’ 4-0 record and 0.44 earned-run average in five starts at Wichita (double-A), don’t look for the Padres to rush him up to Las Vegas. “He’s put up some good numbers, but there are other reasons why he’s still in Wichita,” Padre Director of Player Development Tom Romenesko said. “The development process is much more than just numbers. There are all kinds of things. One is his age--he won’t be 22 until August. And he’s only pitched five times against three different teams. He’s adapting very well, don’t get me wrong, but to say one day we’ll turn on the lights and Superman will appear is ridiculous.” The Padres also want Benes to have a chance to get settled, because the last year has been hectic for him. He went from college (the University of Evansville) to the U.S. Olympic team to the Padre minicamp this winter. Also, his wife has had a baby in the last year.