Padres’ Jackson Continues His Power Play : Baseball: Outfielder hits his 20th home run to spark a 6-3 victory over the Giants.

Darrin Jackson went into spring training feeling he had to win a place on the Padres. He says he’ll take the same approach next spring.

But for the second half of this season--and for the next two weeks--Jackson is a regular in the lineup by virtue of having hit home runs at a spectacular rate. Never thought of as a power hitter before this year, Jackson hit his 20th in only 314 at-bats Sunday to help propel the Padres to a 6-3 victory and a three-game sweep of the San Francisco Giants.

Jackson’s two-out home run in the seventh inning tied the game, 3-3, after the Giants had gone ahead in the sixth. His shot deep into the left-field seats was followed two batters later by Tim Teufel’s two-run homer to break the tie, perking up a crowd of 25,486.

Padres Manager Greg Riddoch has maintained all season that the team has one true power hitter--Fred McGriff--and he had Jackson batting leadoff Sunday, hardly a traditional power slot. “I guess we have two (power hitters),” Riddoch said with a smile. “He’s always had good pop. He just hits in all positions.”

Jackson, who began the season as one of the team’s reserve outfielders, provides the Padres with one of many considerations for next year.

“He’s in there tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow,” Riddoch said. “I can’t say who’ll be in there next year. He’s earned a job (for this year) the way he’s been playing.”

The homers by Jackson and Teufel--his 11th since being acquired from the Mets on May 31--made a winner of Rich Rodriguez (3-1), the third Padres reliever of the day. Craig Lefferts threw the last two innings for his 22nd save. Both homers came off Giants reliever Francisco Oliveras (6-6) and gave the Padres 45 home runs in the past 35 games.

The Padres’ comeback gave them their first sweep of the Giants at San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium since April 1984, and was accomplished despite some shoddy play on both sides on a steamy afternoon when several Padres starters were rested.

The Padres took a 1-0 lead in the first inning thanks to the hustle of Kevin Ward, who ran a bloop into a double and stole third, scoring on Teufel’s sacrifice fly. The Giants tied the game in the third on two singles and a wild pitch by starter Jose Melendez, and got another run off Melendez in the fifth on doubles by starting pitcher Bud Black and Willie McGee.

The Padres tied the game in the bottom of the fifth on two hits and an error by rookie shortstop Royce Clayton, who threw a potential double-play ball into the outfield. The Giants took a 3-2 lead in the sixth without getting a ball out of the infield, aided by a botched play by rookie pitcher Jim Lewis on a sacrifice bunt.

But Jackson and Teufel turned on the power in the seventh, turning the game around. In the eighth, Thomas Howard tripled and Craig Shipley doubled, and Jackson narrowly missed another home run, pulling a high drive that tailed over the foul net and was ruled foul.

“It feels good--most of the starters got a rest, we all pulled together and gave a good effort out there,” Teufel said. “You get some hungry ballplayers out there, good things happen. We’re not givin’ up even though we’re out of it. To finish up strong does mean something.”

Teufel, who didn’t get to play much his last two season with the Mets, hasn’t been a big surprise to Riddoch. Jackson, a veteran who had hit 13 career home runs entering the season, began the season in a platoon situation, with a reputation of not being able to hit right-handed pitching.

“There’ve been many (pleasant surprises),” Riddoch said. “DJ’s one. You can go right down the list of guys who we’ve had an opportunity to find out what they can do. Once (Jackson) earned a job we left him out there.”

Jackson said, “I’ve shown I can hit right-handers pretty much this year. It bothers everybody getting labled when you haven’t had a chance to prove the situation. In the spring I was just looking to play, I didn’t want to get released or banished to the bench forever, get some at-bats when I could. I saw Jerald (Clark) was gonna start in left and Shawn (Abner) in center. A lot of guys were battling for jobs. Greg told me, ‘I’ll try to get all you guys playing time, 200 at-bats.’ I’ve gotten more than that, so it’s been a good year.”

While the Padres consider chasing a proven slugger over the winter, they have these figures to chew on: Jackson has hit 12 home runs since the end of July, six in the past 16 games.

Riddoch said Jackson’s versatility and attitude have made him a valuable team member. “He’s an ideal guy,” Riddoch said. “When he doesn’t play he keeps his mouth shut and his work ethic at 100%. The thing that makes him unique is his ability to adapt to the position you have him in. He understands what his role is, he does exactly what that role is designed for.”

Jackson said he’ll take the same attitude into next year, though his job may be more secure. “In the spring (the goal) was just to battle, win a job,” he said. “I look forward to winning a job next year. That’s the approach I’ll take.”

Whether it ever gets him 500 at-bats some year remains in question.