Seminara Ends Padre Skid by Halting Expos

Frank Seminara wasn’t even supposed to be here. The Padres planned to keep him at triple-A Las Vegas all season and hope he pitched well enough to be in the big leagues next season.

Now, in the middle of July, Seminara anchors the Padre pitching staff.

Seminara stopped yet another Padre losing streak Saturday night, defeating the Montreal Expos, 10-3, and reinforcing the notion that he’s in the big leagues to stay.

“There’s no doubt in my mind I belong up here,” said Seminara (5-2, 3.96 ERA), who yielded seven hits and three runs in seven innings. “I have the faith and confidence I can do the job. If you give me the ball, I’ll keep contributing.”

Seminara, who spent only two months in Las Vegas, has become the most reliable Padre starter of late. He has won five consecutive decisions. Only the Atlanta Braves have defeated him this season.

Seminara’s past four victories have stopped Padre losing streaks, the latest ending a two-game slide against the Expos in his first appearance on artificial turf.

“He’s just been outstanding,” Padre Manager Greg Riddoch said. “He’s definitely not afraid. He’s got the type of personality that he’s not intimidated by anything.

“It would have been nice to keep him at triple-A for the full year, but we had a need, and here he is.

“It couldn’t have come at a better time.”

The Padres’ victory at Olympic Stadium was their first in 16 days against a team other than the Philadelphia Phillies. However, the Padres (48-44) failed to pick up ground on the Cincinnati Reds or Atlanta Braves in the National League West, remaining 6 1/2 games out.

“I’m fortunate I’ve had success early, and that’s given me confidence,” said Seminara, who also got his first major-league hit in the eighth inning. “Atlanta roughed me up pretty good, and that was a tough period for me. But I made adjustments, and look what’s happened.”

It also proved to be a momentous night for Padre second baseman Kurt Stillwell, who entered the game batting .137 the past five weeks. He hit a two-run homer in the eighth inning off reliever Bill Landrum. It was Stillwell’s first home run since July 21, 1991 and only his second extra-base hit since May 30. He finished the game with three RBIs, equaling his output the previous month.

The most comical moment of the evening occurred in the ninth when the Padres put runners on second and third with Darrin Jackson at the plate. Jackson smacked a fastball off reliever Sergio Valdez that hit the left-field wall . . . and stuck. It was hit so hard that the ball got caught in the padding. Jackson was credited with a ground-rule double.

“I got to second base, and (third-base umpire Harry Wendelstedt) said to stop,” Jackson said. “I looked at him like, why do I have to stop?

“The hardest part was looking at it the whole time and saying, ‘Damn, all I needed was six more inches for a homer.”

And, of course, what day in the life of the Padres could be complete without a little clubhouse controversy?

Riddoch sat down with catcher Benito Santiago before the game and asked him if he’d play left field today while rookie Dan Walters catches. Santiago, as he had promised, refused. The conversation lasted 30 or 40 seconds.

“We’re giving him the chance to play every day,” Riddoch said. “If he doesn’t want to take that opportunity, it’s up to him.”

The idea that the Padres want Santiago, a four-time All-Star, to play left field clearly has him perturbed.

“I’m not going to go out there and embarrass myself,” Santiago said. “If they want someone to play left field, put him (Walters) in left field. Go ask someone else. I’m not going to do it.

“I want to stop the talk right here. I don’t want to keep explaining why I don’t play the position.”

Riddoch maintains that although Santiago has played left field only two innings in his professional career--those came after a double-switch blunder last season in Montreal--he’s athletic enough to play the position. In fact, Riddoch said Santiago could play any position in the infield or outfield without embarrassing himself.

“Hey, I know I could play left field,” Santiago said. “I could play center field, right field, shortstop, second base, you name it.

“But my position is catcher.”

The Padres want to allow Santiago to play every day while giving Walters playing time.

Instead, Santiago maintains, he and Walters are both being hurt by the Padres’ plans.

“I don’t think they’re doing a favor for him, or a favor for me,” Santiago said. “The kid needs to play every day (at Las Vegas). He came up here playing every day, and now he might play two days a week at the most.

“This is not good for anybody. It’s frustrating for both of us.”

Riddoch said he’ll continue asking Santiago to play left field the eve of each game Walters will catch. Santiago said he’ll continue saying no.

“My job is to be ready to play each time I go to the ballpark,” Santiago said. “If they don’t have me catching, I won’t play. I’ll sit on the bench and be ready to pinch-hit.

“What are you going to do. They’re in charge. My job is to play. But I’m a catcher.

“If they want a left fielder, they should trade Barry Bonds for me.”

Not that the Santiago situation spoiled the Padres’ euphoria. They beat Montreal All-Star Dennis Martinez, driving him out of the game in the seventh en route to only their second victory in 10 tries against the Expos this season.

“We needed this one,” Seminara said. “We couldn’t afford to start the second half with three straight losses. Hopefully, this will get us going again.”