Padres’ Sweep Gives Giants the Brush : Baseball: Benito Santiago hit a two-run homer with one out in the ninth inning to power his team past San Francisco, 4-3, Sunday for a three-game sweep of the defending National League champions. It was the team’s fifth consecutive victory.

The Padres came wandering into this city for the weekend rather bashful, and really, a bit reserved. Sure, they had the feeling all along that they were better than the San Francisco Giants. But when you’re standing there watching the 1989 National League pennant going up the flag pole on Friday, and admiring the ring ceremony on Sunday, it’s not exactly a good time to be running your mouth.

So the Padres waited all of about 45 hours, and once their 4-3 victory Sunday afternoon assured them of their first sweep of the Giants at Candlestick since 1982, they figured this was as good a time as any to start telling the world about the new kid on the block in the National League West.

Oh, the Padres (5-2), who have won five consecutive games, stopped just short of guaranteeing a division championship. They still have yet to play the Cincinnati Reds, you know. But remember the Giants, that big, bad team who ran amok in the National League last season, intimidating everyone who stepped in their path? Well, if you listen to the Padres, the Giants have become nothing more than pussycats.

“They just aren’t the same team as they were last year,” Padre catcher Mark Parent said. “I sensed that on Friday, they just don’t seem as cocky. They don’t intimidate us like they did before.

“What we did this weekend was send a message to the Giants: ‘You guys aren’t even going to be competing with us this year.’ And pretty soon, we’ll be sending that same message to the Reds.

“The Reds are the team to beat, anyway, not the Giants.”

The Padres showed no mercy. Sure, the Giants are having bullpen problems, and only one week of the baseball season has been completed, but the Padres talked of the defending champions as if they were the Bad News Bears.

“It’s a beautiful feeling, isn’t it,” Padre first baseman Jack Clark said. “They teed off a lot of people last year. They thought they were the greatest thing last year, and they let everybody know it.

“They didn’t have that great of talent last year, and they’re showing it now. Everybody’s going to be gunning for those guys.”

Said Padre left fielder Fred Lynn: “It’s a devastating thing for them. It’s very disheartening to get swept, especially at home. When you’re on the road, you can shrug your shoulders and say it’s one of those things. But when it happens at home, believe me, you start looking for ways to get beat.

“We just have so many ways we can beat you. We can beat you with three singles. We can go over the fence. Or we can throw two pitchers at you at one time.”

Yes, things are going so good for the Padres these days that they actually have people fighting to get on the mound for saves.

The Padres, who Friday forgot how many outs there were in the second inning, and Saturday had two different players picked off base in the fourth inning, pulled off a slapstick routine in the ninth Sunday that’s bound to find its way on blooper films for years.

Reliever Greg Harris was walking from the dugout to the mound for the bottom of the ninth--concentrating on what he needed to do to protect the lead provided by Benito Santiago’s two-run homer in the top of the inning--when he looked up, startled.

There on the mound, already with the ball in his hand, was reliever Craig Lefferts, who had sprinted from the bullpen. They looked at one another, and for a moment, were too stunned to talk.

Harris: “What’s up, I thought I was pitching.”

Lefferts: “Oh, no, I thought I was.”

So they both turned around simultaneously to the dugout, looking for a way to get out of this mess.

Padre pitching coach Pat Dobson pointed to his right arm, signaling that Harris would remain the pitcher. A funny look spread across Lefferts’ face, and his mind raced trying to figure out what to do next, and then he took off running back to the bullpen.

“It was very, very embarrassing,” Lefferts said. “I can’t even tell you what the fans said, because I couldn’t bear to listen. I won’t hear the end of this for a long time.”

Said center fielder Joe Carter, walking by: “So Lefty, what’s the deal, you got a clause in your contract for incentives or something?”

And Lynn: “When I saw them both on the mound, I said, ‘Well, I guess Lefty’s going to manage, too. If he’s not going to get the call, he’ll just call himself.’ ”

Ah, when you’re winning games like the Padres, who were trailing 3-2 into the eighth inning in each of the three games at Candlestick, and have scored 16 of their 21 runs this season after the seventh, you can afford to have levity in the clubhouse.

“I can’t believe how much fun we’re having,” said Parent, who went two for three with an RBI in his first start of the season. “This whole series was a blast.”

The Padres, who unanimously despise Candlestick Park more than any other in the league, could hardly believe the way they were feeling Sunday when they boarded the team bus to the airport. In less than 48 hours, they became the first team since the New York Mets in 1987 to sweep a series at Candlestick, and they could not have designed a more tortuous way.

“It’s nice to win a game 10-0,” Parent said, “but there was something special about these games. It’s more fun to let them think they’re going to win, and then come back from behind and take it away from them.

“It really made us feel good to see them (the Giants) crawl back into their little hole.”

Said Padre right fielder Tony Gwynn: “All of them were nice, but this one was the best, because it sure didn’t look too good. I thought this one was a goner.”

The Padres, who had not reached second base since the sixth inning off starter Rick Reuschel, had to face Giants’ bullpen stopper Steve Bedrosian for the ninth. Bedrosian had left the team Tuesday night to be with his 2 1/2-year-old son, who was diagnosed Friday with leukemia. This would be his 1990 debut.

The crowd of 29,339, who were well-aware of Bedrosian’s troubles, gave him a loud, rousing ovation when he came to the mound. This is what they were awaiting. Now their bullpen problems would be solved.

But yet, the trauma and sleepless nights had taken their toll on Bedrosian. This was not the same Steve Bedrosian they were used to seeing. This man had more problems on his mind than the location of his fastball.

“There was no way I could block it out,” Bedrosian said. “I thought about it, and I also had my mind on getting the hitters out. It was tough being out there. I hurt more than I thought.”

Carter, who was dropped to sixth in the lineup with his .120 batting average, strode to the plate as the leadoff hitter. He then stopped, and nodded to Bedrosian. “I wanted to pay my respects, and let him know I was feeling for him,” Carter said.

He then lined the second pitch under the glove of third baseman Matt Williams for a double. Garry Templeton then made sure to move Carter to third by grounding out to the right side of the infield.

Next up was Santiago. This was supposed to be his off-day. But he entered the game in the seventh as a pinch-runner for Parent, and here he was, taking his first cuts.

Bedrosian blew a slider past Santiago on the first pitch, and on the second pitch, threw another slider, which Santiago barely was able to foul off.

“After that second pitch, I had to step out and clear my head,” Santiago said. “He really had me confused.”

Bedrosian then tried to cross him up by throwing a fastball over the middle of the plate. It didn’t work. Santiago sent it soaring over the left-field fence, some 400 feet away, for a two-run homer.

“I think it was a mistake pitch,” Santiago said. “And the way I hit it, I’m sure it was.”

All the Padres needed to do now was stop the Giants in the bottom of the ninth, and once they determined who would pitch the ninth, it was easy. Harris retired the side 1-2-3, picking up his second victory of the season.

Harris, who has appeared or warmed up in every game, pitched three perfect innings. For the season, he has allowed just two hits and one walk in nine innings, facing just 28 batters.

Hmm, and the bullpen was supposed to be the Padres’ weakness, after losing Cy Young award winner Mark Davis.

“There was never any doubt in my mind we’d pick up the slack,” Dobson said. “I’m sure people thought we’d be in big trouble when we lost Davis.

“I wonder what they’re thinking now?”

Padre Notes

The Padres’ last three-game sweep at Candlestick Park was July 25-27, 1982, when Juan Eichelberger, Eric Show and Tim Lollar were the winning pitchers. . . . Padre third base Coach Sandy Alomar was ejected from the game with two outs in the ninth inning by first base umpire Dana DeMuth for arguing a strike call while the Giants were batting. . . . Padre reliever Craig Lefferts received his 1989 championship ring along with the rest of the Giants in a pre-game ceremony. . . . Padre Manager Jack McKeon was returning to the team hotel after mass Saturday night when a street person stopped him for a handout. “Hey, buddy, I just gave you money when I walked this way before,” McKeon said. “Besides, I’m working this side of the street now. You got the other side.” . . . Benito Santiago was stopped before the game by a little boy, requesting his autograph. He began to sign when Santiago suddenly realized it was a baseball card of teammate Fred Lynn. Santiago handed the card back to the boy, who said, “Well, can I just have your batting gloves then?” Santiago was laughing too hard to respond. . . . Giant reliever Dan Quisenberry on Will Clark’s concentration at the plate: “The more I watch him, the more I swear I’m looking at George Brett. . . . McKeon on reliever Greg Harris, who has either warmed up or pitched in every game this season: “He’s a bulldog. I came in the other morning, looked in the shower room, and there he was doing pushups. And when he’s not doing pushups, he’s lifting dumbbells.” . . . Giant starter Rick Reuschel continued his dominance of Jack Clark, striking him out three times and inducing a fly ball to left field. Clark is batting just .127 (seven for 55) with just one homer and 19 strikeouts. . . . McKeon, who got his last position player in the game Sunday when catcher Mark Parent started for Santiago, said he also is making plans to give himself a little time off. McKeon plans to travel to Las Vegas after the Padres’ May 16 afternoon game against Philadelphia, where he’ll also have a chance to see their triple-A club that night and May 17, and then do the same June 6-7. He also is tentatively planning to scout the Detroit Tigers tFayetteville, Ark. club June 21, an off-day before the Padres play in Atlanta. There’s a certain catcher playing for Fayetteville who McKeon has long admired, but never seen play a professional game. He’s Kasey McKeon, McKeon’s son. . . . The Padres will play a four-inning simulated game on their off-day today in Cincinnati in which Mike Dunne will pitch. Dunne then likely will make three more starts before the Padres will ask him to accept a rehabilitation assignment in triple-A Las Vegas for 30 days. Dunne, who was selected by the Padres in the major league draft when he was left unprotected by the Seattle Mariners, has the option of refusing the assignment and electing to become a free agent. If he accepts the assignment, the Padres must put him on their 24-man roster after 30 days or offer him back to the Mariners. “If he’s healthy, we’ll keep him,” McKeon said. “If he’s not, we’ll probably give him back to the Mariners. . . . The Padres will open a two-game series in Cincinnati beginning Tuesday. Padre Andy Benes (1-0) and Tom Browning (1-0) are the scheduled pitchers Tuesday, and Padre Dennis Rasmussen (0-0) and Danny Jackson (0-0) are scheduled Wednesday.