San Diego Takes Lead in West

First, Ken Caminiti was told that he had been added to the National League All-Star roster as a replacement for injured San Francisco third baseman Matt Williams.

Then he celebrated by hitting a solo homer and driving in three runs for the Padres, who completed a four-game sweep of the Giants with a 10-3 victory in San Diego on Sunday.

Caminiti’s homer was one of three by the Padres in the third inning.

“I’m happy to be going,” said Caminiti, who will be making his second All-Star appearance. “Surprised? Yes. I’m kind of feeling undeserving. Somebody had to be hurt before I could go.”

San Diego’s fifth victory in a row, combined with the Dodgers’ loss to Colorado, gives the Padres a one-game lead in the West. It is only the second time in San Diego’s history that the team has been in first at the break. The other time was in 1984, when the Padres won the NL title.

They have won nine of their last 11 after losing 19 of 23.

“The team is battling now,” Caminiti said. “We had such a stretch of ugliness . . . to finish one game up is pretty good.”

The ugliness continues for the Giants, who have lost 14 of their last 15 against San Diego. San Francisco has lost 15 of 17 on the road.

“It’s killing me,” outfielder Barry Bonds said. “It’s killing the owners. It’s killing the fans. It’s killing everybody.”

Fernando Valenzuela (5-6) survived a 36-pitch first inning and worked six innings for the victory, getting help in the fourth when solo homers by Caminiti and Rob Deer and a three-run shot by Rickey Henderson gave the Padres a 5-3 lead.

Florida 7, Philadelphia 4--Rene Lachemann sat with the man who had just fired him as manager, General Manager Dave Dombrowski, and watched the Marlins end a seven-game losing streak.

Charles Johnson drove in a run with a double and Alex Arias drove in another with a pinch-hit triple in the 10th inning, then scored on an error to give Florida the victory at Philadelphia.

Atlanta 9, Houston 1--After hitting two balls to the warning track, Fred McGriff broke a 16-game homer drought by hitting his 20th of the season--his 10th season in a row with 20 or more--for the Braves, who won in Atlanta and have the best record in baseball, 54-33.

Greg Maddux (9-6) gave up seven hits in the first five innings, but Houston stranded five runners and he won for the fourth time in his last five starts.

Montreal 4, New York 3--The Expo bullpen had blown leads in the last two games, and Rheal Cormier (5-5) was determined to stay in as long as possible in Montreal. He pitched into the ninth before giving way to Mel Rojas, who earned his 12th save.

Darrin Fletcher’s two-run homer in the sixth inning provided the margin of victory for the Expos, who ended a four-game losing streak.

Pittsburgh 8, St. Louis 2--Jeff King finished the best first half by a Pittsburgh player in 23 years with a two-run homer and the Pirates finally solved St. Louis with a victory in Pittsburgh.

The Pirates had been outscored, 45-19, while losing six in a row to the Cardinals.

King has 21 homers and 64 runs batted in. The last Pirate to hit as many homers by the All-Star break was Willie Stargell, who had 24 in 1973.

Chicago 7, Cincinnati 6--Terry Shumpert lined a game-winning single off the left-field ivy with one out in the 13th inning to give the Cubs a victory in Chicago.