Padres Out Run Astros : Baseball: Jack Clark returned with a big hit, Dennis Rasmussen pitched a four-hitter and Shawn Abner and Garry Templeton hit consecutive homers in an 11-2 victory.

This was different than a doctor’s office or a hospital bed, or any place else where you go when your mind is agitated and your body can’t do the things you need it to do.

This was second base, with the crowd cheering and Padres smiling. Jack Clark stood there for one sweet moment after driving in two runs with a fifth-inning double during the Padres’ 11-2 dissection of Houston in front of 16,941 in San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium.

And then he was gone. Phil Stephenson came out of the dugout to pinch-run, and Clark trotted off. A wave to the crowd, a step into the dugout, and an evening of satisfaction.

“It was nice to see Jack Clark get a hit,” Padre Manager Jack McKeon said. “Sooner or later, we have to get him up there and get him some at bats. I’ve been watching him about a week, but it’s different. Just like spring training, he has to get his timing back and get in the groove.”

For the third time in four games, the Padres packed a week’s worth of highlights into one night. They sent nine batters to the plate in each of the third and fifth innings, Bip Roberts extended his hitting streak to 13 games, and Shawn Abner and Garry Templeton hit back-to-back home runs in the fifth, the first time the Padres have done that this season.

And then there was Dennis Rasmussen (6-2), who was tough when he needed to be and ended up with a complete game. He allowed just one earned run and four hits, and he walked four and struck out four. Houston put two runners on in the first, and Rasmussen got out of it after giving up just one run. Then he worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the third.

But a moment for Clark, who had one mean comeback trail to navigate while returning from a wrenched back. He did that May 5 in Chicago, then missed the next 20 days while attempting to find someone, anyone, to aid in a speedy recovery.

Then, on May 25, he was running the bases in New York when he was struck in the face by a ball that pitcher Pat Clements threw. That resulted in a broken cheekbone and plastic surgery.

He continued to work and, finally, Tuesday was the day. McKeon wrote his name in the fifth position in the batting order.

“It’s just a matter of playing back into shape,” Clark said before the game. “It just takes time. There are a lot of games left. It’s not like it’s right at the end of the season. We’ll see how things go.”

His first at bat came in the second. He struck out.

His second trip to the plate came in the third. The bases were loaded with one out. Clark bounced to Houston starter Jim Deshaies, who threw home to force Roberto Alomar.

Then came the fifth, and his third at bat. The Padres led, 4-1, and Tony Gwynn was on third and Joe Carter on first. The count went to 2 and 1 on Clark before he sliced a double into the alley in right-center, allowing both Gwynn and Carter to score.

Three words were all McKeon needed when faced with the prospect of putting Clark’s name back in his team’s lineup Tuesday evening.

“Sure feels nice,” he said.

From the Padre dugout, that described quite a few things Tuesday night.

The Padres have now won four of six games on this home stand, and they have picked up two games on first-place Cincinnati in two nights. They are now alone in second, eight games back, and have won nine of their last 12 games. They are three games over .500 for the first time since April 25.

In the last two nights, they have outscored Houston, 21-4.

Gwynn was three for four Tuesday, and he now has five hits in his last eight at bats. Two of those are triples.

And, as for hot Padres, Templeton is also at the top of the list.

He was two for three Tuesday, and he now has six hits in his last eight at bats. That covers two games, and it includes four singles, a double and a home run.

The homer came in the fifth against Danny Darwin--the second consecutive fifth-inning homer allowed by Darwin. Abner preceded Templeton with a homer to left--his first since last July 25.

The trip to the record book has been a common occurance lately. As for the back-to-back homers, it was the first time the Padres did it since last Aug. 25, when Roberts and Alomar did it against the New York Mets’ Sid Fernandez.

It should come as no surprise that the Padre offense did most of its work against Deshaies (3-3). He entered Tuesday’s game with a 5.10 earned-run average against the Padres and, lifetime, he is now 2-8. That is by far his worst record against an NL team.

Houston staked him to a 1-0 lead in an unusual first. Eric Yelding reached base on a lead-off bunt on which Rasmussen was charged with an error. His throw, it was determined, pulled Alomar off first base. Alomar, covering on the bunt, seemed to have trouble finding first base.

A minute later, the Padres were in the interesting situation of having made two errors before going through two batters in the lineup. Yelding stole second, and Benito Santiago’s throw sailed into center field. So Yelding easily took third.

The second batter, Bill Doran, was still standing at the plate. Not for long. He walked, and then stole second.

Rasmussen struck out Craig Biggio, and then intentionally walked Glenn Davis. Ken Caminiti followed with a sacrifice fly to right, and then Rasmussen struck out Glenn Wilson.

So it was 1-0, Houston. From the Padres’ perspective, it could have been worse.

Two innings later, the Padres went ahead. They sent nine batters to the plate against Deshaies and scored three runs.

Templeton singled to left and moved to second on Rasmussen’s sacrifice bunt. Then, Roberts, Alomar and Gwynn singled consecutively, and Carter was walked intentionally. Templeton scored on Roberts’ single, Roberts scored on Gwynn’s single and, by the time Clark came to bat after Carter’s walk, the Padres led, 2-1, and the bases were loaded.

Clark bounced to Deshaies, who threw home to force Alomar. But Deshaies walked the next batter, Santiago, to force in a run and help increase the Padre lead to 3-1.

Then came the fifth, and the runaway was on. By the end of the inning, the Padres led, 9-1. Once again, they sent nine batters to the plate.

Alomar drew a lead-off walk and Gwynn followed with a triple to right-center. Carter drew a walk, and up stepped Clark. Four pitches later, the baseball was slicing toward right-center and Gwynn and Carter were on their way home.

Clark was back.

Deshaies, meanwhile, got the hook. Darwin came on, struck out Santiago and then yielded the homers to Abner and Templeton.

Padre Notes

Major League Commissioner Fay Vincent said before Tuesday’s game that he expects the sale of the Padres to be approved at the owners’ meeting next week in Cleveland and completed shortly thereafter. He met Tom Werner and the rest of the group set to take control of the Padres Tuesday afternoon and came away impressed. “They seem like very nice people,” Vincent said. “I know of Tom through his (television) reputation, and I think the people involved locally are strong.” Vincent is in California to visit the five major league parks this week. He was at Dodger Stadium Monday when Ramon Martinez tied Sandy Koufax’s Dodger record and fell one short of the National League record with 18 strikeouts. “You saw what effect I had on Dodger pitching,” he joked. “I told Jack (McKeon) I expect San Diego to hit five home runs tonight.” . . . Vincent said major league baseball attendance is up 4% from last year at this point. He said much of that can be attributed to Toronto, where the novelty of the SkyDome hasn’t yet worn off. As for the top items on his agenda, he mentioned National League expansion, working with players on life after baseball, affirmative action and what he calls the “ambience issue”--the way baseball treats fans. . . . Third baseman Mike Pagliarulo, who had missed five games entering Tuesday’s game with a strained left hamstring, may return to the lineup this afternoon. He said he ran in the outfield Tuesday and “didn’t feel anything.” . . . Padre pitchers wore pieces of white tape with the number “38” scrawled on them on the left sleeves of their warm-up jerseys during batting practice in honor of Pat Clements, who was sent to Las Vegas (triple-A) Monday. Word had it that, had there been a designer label, it would have read “Mark Grant.” Said pitching Coach Pat Dobson: “I thought it was cute.” . . . Outfielder Shawn Abner was still taking some ribbing for his appearance in Monday’s 10-2 victory. Abner was sent out to play left field to begin the eighth, made a long running catch on a ball hit by Rafael Ramirez, and then was taken out during a double-switch when Padre Manager Jack McKeon elected to bring Craig Lefferts into the game. Abner played during a total of four pitches, but his catch made ESPN’s late-night sports highlights. Andy Benes, who started the game and went 7 1/3 innings for the victory, approached Abner in the clubhouse Tuesday and let him have it. “I was out there sweating for 7 1/3 innings, and all they show is someone hitting a rocket off me and you getting it,” Benes said. “It ain’t right.” He was kidding. . . . Benito Santiago (342,777) is the leading vote-getter among catchers so far in the All-Star balloting, and Tony Gwynn (245,925) is second among outfielders--the top three outfielders start the game. Roberto Alomar (116,156) is second among second basemen. . . . In addition to Friday’s game with Los Angeles being pushed back to 7:35 to accommodate ESPN, the Padres agreed to move Tuesday’s start against San Francisco back to 7:35 p.m., also for ESPN. . . . Pitching matchups for the series with the Dodgers beginning Friday: The Padres Ed Whitson (5-3) vs. Tim Belcher (4-3) Friday, Bruce Hurst (3-5) vs. Fernando Valenzuela (4-5) Saturday and Benes (6-4) vs. Martinez (6-3) Sunday. . . . Dave Staton of the Padres’ Riverside (single-A) affiliate hit his 12th home run of the season during a 9-3 loss to Palm Springs Monday.