Jackson Answers His Critics : Baseball: Center fielder’s home run in the ninth inning lifts the Padres to a 7-6 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies.

Darrin Jackson, Padres center fielder, heard the boos. He listened to the whispers. He knew what everyone in baseball was thinking.

His accomplishments of a year ago were a fluke. He’ll never hit 21 homers again. He’s nothing more than a good bench player, and his weaknesses will be exposed as an everyday starter. The Padres should have traded him when they had a chance.

When you open the first two weeks of the season batting .116, have one extra-base hit in your first 48 at-bats, it’s easy to see why Jackson’s bandwagon emptied in a hurry.

Jackson refused to listen.

He carried the Padres on his back Tuesday, leading them past the Philadelphia Phillies, 7-6, with his game-winning leadoff homer in the ninth inning in front of 10,181 at San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium.

It was the encore of his brilliant performance in which he hit two home runs, drove in four runs, and went three for five to raise his batting average to .200.

“I never panicked,” said Jackson, who hit the game-winner on a 1-0 pitch off Curt Schilling into the left-field seats. “I didn’t get the numbers I did last year by just being lucky. I knew it was just a matter of time. I let the others worry.”

When you drive in seven runs the past two nights with a double, triple and two homers, everyone’s worries tend to stop.

“Sure, I was getting frustrated,” Jackson said, “because I wasn’t helping the team. But even though I wasn’t coming through, I was trying. I never gave up.”

Jackson’s performance not only provided the Padres (11-10) just their fourth victory in the last 12 games, but saved the beleaguered bullpen from having to endure another extra-inning game.

This is a bullpen that has had to pitch 39 1/3 innings the past eight games--including 19 innings alone by Jose Melendez and Rich Rodriguez. This time, it was Mike Maddux and Pat Clements who carried the load, pitching 3 1/3 shutout innings with Clements winning for the first time since April 22, 1991.

“Each pitcher on the team has had big sighs of relief when we win a game in the late innings,” Rodriguez said.

The Padres were so fearful of their pitching staff, they summoned reliever Jeremy Hernandez and starter Doug Brocail from Phoenix, where the triple-A Las Vegas Stars were playing, before the game. Hernandez was in town ready to replace Larry Andersen if he needed to be placed on the disabled list with his bruised forearm. Brocail was hanging around in case starter Dave Eiland’s back spasms acted up again.

It hardly was the confidence booster Eiland had in mind, but after convincing the Padres his back was just fine, he proceeded to pitch 5 2/3 innings, leaving with a 6-6 tie. Andersen won’t be available for at least three more days, but the Padres decided the DL was not necessary.

There was nothing left for Brocail and Hernandez to do but sit in the stands watching a big-league game. They have a scheduled flight back to Phoenix today, where they will rejoin the Stars.

“They were here for the worst-case scenario,” said Joe McIlvaine, Padre general manager, “if Eiland couldn’t pitch and if Andersen was disabled. Fortunately, everything turned out all right.”

Eiland was able to provide some comfort, making his longest start of the season, and the most trouble he incurred really was not his fault.

Leading a 5-2 in the fourth inning, Eiland gave up a leadoff double to John Kruk, but then retired Darren Daulton and Wes Chamberlain. He appeared to get out of the inning unscathed when Ruben Amaro hit a routine bouncer to second baseman Kurt Stillwell.

Stillwell went to catch the ball using both hands, but the ball caromed off the ring finger of his right hand. Stillwell scrambled to retrieve it, but slipped, and Amaro was safe while Kruk scored.

Stillwell wasn’t sure which felt worse. The dislocation he sustained of the finger, or watching the home run Mickey Morandini hit three pitches later, allowing the Phillies to tie the game at 5-5.

Stillwell was taken to Scripps Clinic for X-rays, which revealed no fracture. He’s not expected to be placed on the disabled list, and his status is day-to-day.

All in all, it was quite an eventful day, particularly for Brocail, who was called up to the major leagues for the first time. Sort of.

“It was nice while it lasted,” said Brocail, 1-0 with a 5.29 ERA at Las Vegas.

Brocail, whose finest moment in Las Vegas came about two weeks ago when he body-slammed Jason Grimsley in a brawl with Tucson, had no idea the Padres were even considering him as an emergency starter. It didn’t hurt, of course, that he was scheduled to start Tuesday night, anyway, and the Padres’ other candidates in Las Vegas all are non-roster players.

“(Manager) Jim Riggleman called me this morning,” Brocail said, “and said, ‘Get over to my room right now. We got to talk.’ I said, ‘Oh, my God, what did I do now?’

“He said, ‘You’re going to the big leagues.’ I said, ‘Right.’ Once he convinced me, I couldn’t talk. I didn’t know how to react. I was so excited that when I left the room, I didn’t even thank him. I had to walk back in the room and do that. I mean, I was speechless.

“It was a dream come true, even if it was just for a day.”