Sanders Sharp in Padres’ Victory Over Cubs

Scott Sanders liked what he saw when he looked at the flags on top of Wrigley Field’s scoreboard Friday.

Eddie Williams and Bip Roberts just ignored them.

Sanders allowed one hit in eight innings Friday to lead the San Diego Padres to a 4-2 victory over the Chicago Cubs.

“He had a better than average slider,” Padres manager Jim Riggleman said. “He was in the strike zone more often and that, combined with his slider, made him effective.”

Sanders also had the wind blowing in his favor.

“That’s the first thing I look at when I come to Wrigley Field, to see if the wind is blowing in or out,” said Sanders, who entered the game with an 0-1 record and 11.25 ERA in two career starts against the Cubs, although only one was in Chicago.

However, both Williams and Roberts each hit solo homers into the wind blowing off Lake Michigan at 17 mph.

“Eddie hit the ball so hard that even with the wind blowing in we knew it was out of here,” Riggleman said. “Bip’s ball, I don’t know what happened.”

Sanders (4-8) won for the first time since June 19, snapping a personal four-game losing streak. He walked two and struck out 11, tying his personal best set in his last win.

After Sanders walked Mark Grace leading off the ninth, Trevor Hoffman came on for his 18th save. But he allowed an RBI double by Derrick May before finishing off the victory.

“I even felt strong in the ninth,” Sanders said. “But I threw two balls outside and they sunk away. We decided to let Trevor finish.”

Sanders held the Cubs without a hit until Sammy Sosa reached on an infield hit with two outs in the sixth.

Todd Haney was hit in the back by a pitch leading off the sixth, advanced on a groundout and reached third on Sosa’s hit, which was knocked down by second baseman Ricky Gutierrez. Haney then scored on a wild pitch to make it 2-1.

Willie Banks (8-11) took the loss, and remained winless in seven starts since June 27. He gave up 12 hits in eight innings, walked two and struck out three.

“I have no reason to put my head down,” Banks said. “The guy on the other team pitched a better game. He did what I wanted to do.

“You pitch eight innings and give up three runs, that’s a quality start,” Banks said.