PADRES UPDATE : NOTEBOOK / BOB NIGHTENGALE : Harris Searches for Solutions After Struggling on the Road

Padre starter Greg Harris has no idea what is going wrong.

While the Padres headed home exhilarated Sunday afternoon after their 6-5 victory over Pittsburgh, Harris was trying to erase the trip’s miseries from his memory.

He failed to win a game in three starts, allowing 21 hits and 15 earned runs for a 9.00 ERA. He surrendered three home runs on the Padres’ trip to Montreal. He walked a career-high six batters in Philadelphia. He lasted three innings and gave up a grand slam in Pittsburgh.

“Man, it’s been tough,” said Harris, whose ERA has ballooned from 2.06 to 4.14. “I don’t know what to say or what to tell you. But I’ll be the first to admit I’m struggling.

“It’s a lonely man’s game when you’re going like this.”

The crazy part, said Harris, is that he feels perfectly fine. He altered his delivery for Saturday’s game. He thought his fastball was working. He was spotting his curveball better.

“I felt great, I really did,” Harris said.

The results indicated otherwise. Harris gave up six earned runs in three innings.

“I’m not going to quit or run away from this,” Harris said. “I’m not afraid of a challenge. But obviously, this is a big challenge. There are times when humility sets in, and I feel pretty humble right now.”

The Padres don’t have a ready answer, either, although they’re a bit concerned with his velocity. His fastball was clocked at only 78-79 m.p.h. on several readings on the Padres’ radar gun on Saturday, although his fastball averaged in the low 80s.

“I feel I’m throwing the ball as well as I ever have. The hitters obviously don’t agree,” he said.

If nothing else, at least Harris is returning home to San Diego, getting away from artificial turf. In his five starts on artificial turf this season, he’s 0-3 with a 6.84 ERA, yielding six homers in 25 innings. In his three starts on grass, he’s 1-0 with a 1.44 ERA, allowing two homers in 25 innings.

“It’s nice we’re going home,” Harris said, “but I don’t want to be looked at as a guy who can only pitch at home and can’t pitch on the road. I want to end that.

“I’ve just got to get through this.”

Reliever Randy Myers still was being teased about the pitch that got away from him Saturday night against Orlando Merced. It landed 30 feet from home plate and nearly struck on-deck hitter Jay Bell.

“It was the first pitch I ever threw,” Myers said, “that almost had the bat-boy charging the mound.”

The pitch, Myers said, was the top-secret one he has been working on the past few weeks. It’s called a forkball-slider. Really.

“It’s going to be an awesome pitch when I get it working,” Myuers said. “No one’s thrown it in the history of baseball. It’ll go 89 m.p.h. when it’s right and will have an unbelievable drop.”

Myers has only thrown the pitch twice this season, the first bouncing about 10 feet in front of home-plate at Shea Stadium.

“It’s almost there,” Myers said.

Left-hander Rich Rodriguez has becone one of the mainstays in the bullpen. He owns a 3-1 record and 1.99 ERA, appearing in 15 games and pitching in 31 2/3 innings.

The reason for Rodriguez’s virtual obscurity is the fact that only twice this season has he come into a game with the lead. Until his victory Saturday, the only lead he ever inherited was April 21 when he came into the second inning of a 1-0 game when starter Dave Eiland had back spasms.

“It feels good to be in a game where I can really help the team,” Rodriguez said. “I love coming into games with a lead I can protect. I hope I can get more of them.”

Said Padre Manager Greg Riddoch: “Rich has been doing a great job for us out of the pen. He’s been one of our unsung heroes. You’re going to see more of him, too.”

The Padres also have been impressed with reliever Tim Scott, who has made two appearances since replacing injured Larry Andersen. Even when Andersen returns from the disabled list, Scott is expected to remain with the team.

Joe McIlvaine, Padre general manager, comparing Fred McGriff and Dodger outfielder Darryl Strawberry, whom he had in New York: “McGriff’s a better hitter. He’ll hit for a better average. But still think Strawberry has more raw power.”

Of course, McIlvaine said, it’s no contest whom he’d rather have on his team.

“Fred’s the premier power hitter in the National League,” McIlvaine said. “I don’t think anyone can debate that.”

Pitcher Gene Harris, acquired by the Padres a week ago from Seattle in exchange for minor-leaguer Will Taylor, believes he’ll be ready to pitch in a game before the end of the home stand.

“I feel great,” said Harris, who’s still on the disqualified list but can be taken off any time. “I’m just about ready to go. I just hope they feel the same.”

The Padres, however, probably will bide their time a little longer while figuring out what to do with Harris. He has no options left, so he can’t be sent to triple-A Las Vegas without clearing waivers.