Cub Homers Bail Out Maddux in 7-3 Victory

What a difference a year is making for Greg Maddux.

Last season, he was was 15-3 at the All-Star break. On Thursday, Maddux (8-7) struggled for six innings, but got three home runs from his Cub teammates en route to a 7-3 win over the San Diego Padres.

“It was no secret, I was all over the place today,” Maddux said. “I’d be the first one to say I didn’t pitch well. They didn’t really get a big hit either.”

Maddux walked the bases loaded in the third inning, but escaped with no runs. He also got out of a bases-loaded jam in the sixth.”

“I was just lucky not to give up a double with the bases loaded in either of the third or sixth innings,” he said.

Ryne Sandberg and Andre Dawson hit seventh inning home runs and Shawon Dunston homered in the eighth as the Cubs swept a three-game series from San Diego for the first time at Wrigley Field since July 1987.

It was the first three-homer game for the Cubs since June 11 against St. Louis.

Walt Terrell (4-12) lost his seventh consecutive game for the Padres, allowing five hits and four runs in six innings.

Mitch Williams earned his 21st save and the 30th for the team this season, one more than all of last year.

Maddux said he’s happy with his first-half performance.

“I’ve kept my team in all but two of the 18 games I’ve pitched, and if I can keep my team in the game for six or seven innings, then I feel I’ve done my job,” Maddux said.

Cub Manager Don Zimmer said Maddux “was all goofed up. He had nothing going for him. Being the competitor he is, he got through six innings. That’s the most important thing, and he’s not going to pitch many games like that.”

Padre Manager Jack McKeon, was upset his team allowed the sweep.

“Once again, we failed to come up with a big hit with men in scoring position,” McKeon said. “We’ve been through this before. We’re not going to pack up our tents and go home.”

Outside of Marvell Wynne’s three-run home run on Wednesday and Wynne’s run-scoring single Thursday, McKeon said, “there was not too much to cheer about.”

Sandberg led of the seventh inning with his 11th homer off reliever Fred Tolliver and Dawson got his eighth homer one out later, giving Chicago a 6-3 lead. It was Dawson’s 12th homer in 31 games against the Padres.

A three-run second inning keyed by Dunston’s run-scoring single and two errors by shortstop Bip Roberts started the Cubs on their way to their seventh victory in eight games this season.

Maddux allowed seven hits and three runs for the Cubs, who are now are 30-7 in the last six seasons against San Diego at Wrigley Field.

Maddux was replaced by Steve Wilson after allowing a single to Chris James and a walk to Roberts to start the seventh. James later scored on Tony Gwynn’s infield out and Marvell Wynne’s single scored Roberts, cutting Chicago’s lead to 4-3.

But the seventh-inning homers by Sandberg and Dawson, plus Dunston’s homer in the eighth, put the Cubs back in control.

Roberto Alomar’s double, his 19th stolen base and Carmelo Martinez’s sacrifice fly gave the Padres a 1-0 lead in the second inning.

The Cubs bounced back in their half of the second, getting three runs after Terrell walked Damon Berryhill and Vance Law. Dunston singled home Berryhill, tying the score, before Roberts’ errors allowed two more runs to score.

Dwight Smith’s RBI double gave Chicago a 4-1 lead in the third.