For Padres, Bats Stop the Pirates : Baseball: Gwynn, Santiago play big roles in 18-hit attack that buries Pittsburgh, 9-2.

Padre catcher Benito Santiago munched on a plate of chicken wings Friday night, watching the horde of reporters go from one locker to the next after the Padres’ 9-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates at Three Rivers Stadium.

Reporters surrounded right fielder Tony Gwynn, who had the Padres’ first four-hit game of the season and raised his batting average to .372. They grabbed pitcher Craig Lefferts (4-2), who became the first starter in a month to win consecutive starts. They chatted with second baseman Tim Teufel, who quietly raised his batting average to .327, hitting a two-run homer in the ninth.

Santiago, who had three of the franchise record-tying seven doubles and sparked a season-high 18-hit attack, was left alone.

“That’s OK,” Santiago said, “I’ll just do my job and let people say want they want. I know when the season’s over a lot of people will want to talk to me.

“But I think it’ll be general managers, not reporters, you know what I mean?”

Santiago laughed heartily. He snapped a four-for-38 (.105) slump, raising his batting average to .227. Santiago’s three doubles equaled the club record and gave him eight extra-base hits for the season.

“I’m starting to get it back, and I know it,” Santiago said. “I’m at peace with myself. I’m not worrying about free agency, or any distractions any more.

“I had a talk before the game with my friend, and it helped.”

Santiago and his buddy may be from opposite sides of the continent: one from Puerto Rico, the other from California. They might play different positions: one a catcher, the other an outfielder.

Yet, in five months, they’ll both be in the same boat.

Santiago and Pittsburgh Pirate outfielder Barry Bonds will be free agents, and it’s highly unlikely either will come back to his current team.

Bonds, considered by many to be the finest all-around player in the National League, wants to play for the Padres next season. He’s seeking a minimum of $30 million. The Padres believe he might be worth it, but they can’t afford to pay it.

Santiago, who might be the best catcher in the National League, is willing to sign with the Padres. The Padres could pay him but don’t think he’s worth it.

Funny game, isn’t it?

“Hey, San Diego knows the price,” Bonds said. “If they don’t want to pay, then maybe you think winning’s not that important to them. If you want to win, you know what it takes to win.

“Maybe they don’t care, I don’t know, but it looks like they need a left fielder to me.”

Bonds, whose preference is to remain in Southern California near his home in Temecula, said the Padres make the most sense to him. Oh, he’d love to be in a Dodger uniform, too, or even an Angel uniform. But the Dodgers’ outfield is set, particularly if they re-sign left fielder Eric Davis. And who knows if Jackie Autry will allow the Angels to spend any money?

“The Dodgers wouldn’t be bad at all,” Bonds said, “but I’ve got to play left field there. I’m not moving to center for anyone over there.”

Bonds, who turned down a five-year, $25-million contract from the Pirates during the winter, already has ruled out returning to Pittsburgh. After seeing his buddy Bobby Bonilla leave last winter, he knows he’s next.

“I learned from watching Bobby that if you’re going to be a free agent, let everybody know about it in advance,” Bonds said. “There’s no misunderstanding now, because there’s no negotiating. It’s too late for that stuff.”

The Pirates, realizing they can’t sign Bonds, entertained trade proposals during the winter for Bonds. Joe McIlvaine, Padre general manager, said Friday he even offered catcher Benito Santiago straight up for Bonds.

Did he really think the Pirates would even consider the possibility?

“Hey, you never know unless you ask,” McIlvaine said.

The reality of the situation now is that Bonds will remain in Pittsburgh the entire season, and if the Padres keep playing the way they have been of late, Santiago might stay, too.

The Padres (18-17) have won five of their past seven games. They lifted their team batting average to .270. No other team in the league is batting higher than .260.

“I’m having fun again,” Santiago said. “We’re all having fun. I can’t believe this offense. It’s unbelievable, no?”

The Padres stakes Lefferts to a 3-0 lead in the first on back-to-back doubles by Gary Sheffield and Fred McGriff, preceded by back-to-back walks by Tony Fernandez and Gwynn. It took only six batters to knock Pirate starter Denny Neagle out of the game.

But Lefferts appeared he might give the lead the right back. He yielded a leadoff single to Gary Redus and walked Jay Bell. He struck out Andy Van Slyke for the first out, but on a 1-and-1 pitch to Lloyd McClendon, he threw a ball low that tipped off Santiago’s mitt.

Pirate Manager Jim Leyland hotly contest home-plate umpire Charley Williams’ ruling that McClendon fouled off the ball. When order was restored, Lefferts struck out McClendon and induced a pop fly from Bonds.

Said Lefferts: “It actually worked out best for me. I was never really loose before, and after warming up again, I was able to get in a rhythm. I just ham-and-egged it together the rest of the way.”