Whitson defeats Astros

If the San Diego Padres had played every team the way they played the Houston Astros, they’d be running away with the National League West.

“Baseball is a funny game and nobody has mastered it yet. But some years you can just beat certain teams,” San Diego’s Ed Whitson said Tuesday night after pitching the Padres to an 8-1 victory over the Astros. The Padres wound up 14-4 against Houston, including the last eight in a row. It’s the most games San Diego has won in a season against Houston.

“We’re playing now they way we thought we would play all year. Unfortunately, we didn’t put it together earlier,” Whitson (13-8) said.

“The only reason I can think of how we’ve done so well against Houston is that we match up better against them,” Manager Greg Riddoch added. “Our pitchers are more effective against their hitters then against other teams.”

Whitson, who went seven innings and gave up a run and six hits, impressed Houston Manager Art Howe.

“He always pitches us tough and they usually play us tough. They’ve been as tough on us as any team in the league,” Howe said.

Home runs by Joe Carter, Jack Clark and Bip Roberts made it easy for Whitson. Loser Bill Gullickson (9-13) was tagged for six runs and eight hits, including the three home runs, in 4 2/3 innings.

San Diego took a 1-0 lead in the second inning when Carter singled, stole second and scored on a single by Mike Pagliarulo.

The Padres made it 3-0 in the third on Carter’s 24th home run, a two-run shot following a walk to Clark. Garry Templeton’s single and Roberts’ ninth home run increased the lead to 5-0 in the fourth.

Clark hit his 23rd homer in the fifth and added a two-run single off Jim Clancy in the seventh.

“The home run came on a fastball up in the zone. With two strikes I was ready for a fastball, like I always am. It was a bad pitch, but I hit it good,” Clark said.

Houston scored in the fifth on an RBI single by Rafael Ramirez.

Greg Harris and Craig Lefferts each pitched one scoreless in relief for San Diego.