Bullpen Has McKeon Calling for Help : Padres: Manager says he’ll seek relievers during All-Star break after another late collapse in 4-1 loss to St. Louis.

Padre Manager Jack McKeon has his All-Star break itinerary set. He will go to Chicago next week in search of some help for his roughed-up bullpen.

“I’d like to get one (reliever),” McKeon said. “I’d like to get a couple.”

Another blown opportunity by the Padre bullpen--its sixth loss in the past eight games--is what had McKeon talking about his plans Thursday.

This time it was Greg Harris, working his fifth consecutive game and seventh in the past eight, who was charged with the 4-1 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals.

Harris entered a 1-1 tie in the ninth and yielded three runs on a pair of RBI doubles and a suicide squeeze. The loss was Harris’ third against four victories, the Padres’ eighth in nine games. And it was the fourth consecutive loss in which the Padres blew the game in the last two innings.

This time, they wasted eight strong innings from starter Andy Benes, who struck out a career-high 11--including seven of his first eight outs--before leaving for a pinch-hitter after Fred Lynn’s one-out single in the eighth.

“He had great stuff,” McKeon said. “I hated to take him out of there. He could have gone one more inning; I wish he had.”

Instead, McKeon had to turn to his bullpen. A few minutes later, most of the crowd of 15,502 at San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium was headed to the exits, having seen another version of what has been a familiar site during the first seven games of a 10-game home stand:

The Padres score little and early--this time, a first-inning run on an RBI groundout by Tony Gwynn against starter Bryn Smith. They waste a generally respectable showing by their starter--in this case a one-run, six-hit effort by Benes. And they then wait for the bullpen to find a way to throw it away.

“It’s not a case where we’re not in the ballgame; we’re in the ballgames,” McKeon said. “We’ve got to score some runs. Every night, we’re scrapping. That puts a tremendous amount of pressure on your pitchers to hold the lead or keep the game tied.

“We score first, and that’s it. That’s enough. Boom.”

It’s more like bust.

The Padres managed only three hits and two walks after Bip Roberts and Thomas Howard opened the game with singles, and only one Padre runner got past second base after the third inning.

Bryn Smith pitched the first seven innings before Lee Smith came on to close out the final two and even his record at 2-2.

While the Padres were failing, the Cardinals were making the most, with their high-speed ways, of what hits they got. Three of their four runs were scored with the help of their running game.

Their only run off Benes came in the fifth after a two-out single by center fielder Willie McGee, who stole second and scored on Ozzie Smith’s double into the right-field corner to tie the game at 1-1.

St. Louis was running again in the ninth against Harris.

Jose Oquendo singled Harris’ first pitch into center. Tom Pagnozzi, who had come on to catch in place of Todd Zeile in the eighth, then drove an 0-2 double to the left-center-field wall, scoring Oquendo. It was only the second extra-base hit and fifth RBI for Pagnozzi, who entered the game batting .212.

“It was 0-2; he (Harris) should waste a pitch,” McKeon said, “and instead he throws a double.”

Not that Harris didn’t give it his best.

“I was trying to get the ball in,” Harris said. “It was pretty much in. It just wasn’t in far enough.”

After Pagnozzi moved to third on McGee’s groundout, Ozzie Smith scored him on a suicide squeeze. Pedro Guerrero then singled and was replaced by Dave Collins, who set up the next run by stealing second before scoring on Rex Hudler’s double to make it 4-1.

“We’re lucky they didn’t get more guys on, or they would probably run us to death,” McKeon said.

This despite the fact that the Cardinals played without Vince Coleman, who leads the majors with 47 stolen bases. Coleman sat out only his second game after straining his back Wednesday making a catch in San Francisco.

It was the start of what will be 10-day break for Coleman. He was suspended for seven games and fined an undisclosed amount Thursday by National League President Bill White after an incident Wednesday against San Francisco in which the brim of his helmet caught umpire Ed Montague across the nose, opening a cut.

The suspension is effective today and would keep Coleman out until the start of a three-game home series against the Dodgers July 16, unless he appeals.

Coleman said he was surprised at the length of the suspension but has not decided about an appeal. His decision might be based on his health, figuring it is better to sit out now, while his back is sore, than longer after the All-Star break, when he presumably would be healthy.

But while Coleman ponders his temporary fate, McKeon has more systemic problems to concern himself with.

Midway through the season he finds himself with only two relievers--Craig Lefferts and Harris--he says he can turn to with the game in the balance. And even then, he has found trouble. Lefferts, after a strong start, has failed in his past three save opportunities.

“It’s getting hard to stay positive,” Harris said. “You want to battle every day. Everyone is looking for answers, and they’re hard to come by right now.”

It all leaves McKeon looking elsewhere for help.

So sure is he of his mission that a reply of “definitely, definitely, definitely” came back before the post-game question--would finding relief pitching be an All-Star break priority?--could be completed.

Padre Notes

Padre starter Andy Benes (6-6) has not won since June 4 and has four no-decisions and two losses in his six starts since. His 11 strikeouts bettered his career high of nine, done twice, most recently Sept. 19 against Cincinnati. It was the most strikeouts by a Padre since Bruce Hurst struck out 13 against Atlanta on April 10, 1989. . . . Thomas Howard made his third consecutive start in left field since being called up from triple-A Las Vegas Tuesday. He went two for four but struck out twice, the second time with two out and runners on first and second in the eighth.

PADRES AT A GLANCEScorecard

FIRST INNING

Padres--Roberts singled to center. Howard beat out grounder to pitcher, Roberts taking third and Howard taking second on the pitcher B Smith’s throwing error. Gwynn grounded to shortstop, Roberts scoring. Carter popped to shortstop. Clark flied to center. One run, two hits, one error, one left. Padres 1, Cardinals 0

FIFTH INNING

Cardinals--With two out, McGee singled to shortstop and stole second. Smith doubled to right, McGee scoring. Guerrero flied to center. One run, two hits. Padres 1, Cardinals 1

NINTH INNING

Cardinals--Harris replaced Benes. Oquendo singled to right. Pagnozzi doubled to left center, Oquendo scoring. McGee grounded to second, Pagnozzi taking third. Smith sacrificed, Pagnozzi scoring. Guerrero singled to center. Collins ran for Guerrero and stole second. Hudler doubled to left, Collins scoring. Pendleton grounded to pitcher. Three runs, four hits, one left. Cardinals 4, Padres 1.