Padres Win Behind Gwynn to Close In

Never mind the batting title. With a pennant race on the line, six-time batting champion Tony Gwynn had a hard time sitting on the bench.

Gwynn had two singles as a late-inning replacement and figured in a key eighth-inning rally as the San Diego Padres won at San Francisco, 8-5, Wednesday to move with half a game of the Dodgers in the National League West.

“It’s nice to have a guy hitting .350 something on the bench,” Padre Manager Bruce Bochy said, “but I don’t think you’ll see Tony on the bench the rest of the year.”

Bochy wanted to give Gwynn one more day off before the final stretch, and with left-hander Allen Watson starting for the Giants, this was a good opportunity. But with the score tied, 4-4, with one out and one on in the eighth, Bochy decided to use Gwynn as a pinch-hitter.

Gwynn singled after fouling off several 3-2 pitches, setting up Jody Reed’s go-ahead hit.

“I stink as a pinch hitter, but this time I delivered,” said Gwynn, who also singled in the ninth.

Gwynn, batting .356, needs 47 plate appearances to qualify for another batting title. Unless the Padres play in a playoff game, he probably won’t get them.

Ken Caminiti hit his third home run in two days and had three RBIs to lead the Padres, who lost a sixth-inning lead for the second consecutive game before recovering. The Padres led, 6-0, before losing, 9-7, Tuesday night.

“We’re playing tense right now, and we can’t play that way,” Caminiti said. “It was another tight ball game, and I guess it’s going to be that way the rest of the year.”

Of the NL West race, Giant Manager and former Dodger Dusty Baker said, “I like the Padres’ chances.”

Wally Joyner drew a one-out walk in the eighth off Rich DeLucia (3-5), went to second on Gwynn’s pinch-hit single and scored when Reed singled.

The Padres added two more runs when reliever Jim Poole threw the ball away at third while Gwynn tried to steal before the pitch. Gwynn scored and Reed went to third before Scott Flaherty’s bloop single to right scored Reed for a 7-4 lead.

Trevor Hoffman got the final three outs for his 37th save.

Doug Bochtler (2-4), despite failing to hold a 4-2 lead in the seventh, got the win. Tim Worrell pitched the eighth.

Atlanta 6, Houston 2--Greg Maddux threw a masterful six-hit, no-walk game at Atlanta as the Braves cut their magic number to six for winning the NL East.

Maddux (14-11) cruised to the win on a day when he received a rare offensive outburst from his teammates, including a pair of two-run homers by Fred McGriff.

Montreal 4, New York 3--Moises Alou had his second consecutive three-hit game and scored the go-ahead run in the eighth at Montreal when F.P. Santangelo was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.

Pittsburgh 5, Cincinnati 3--Jason Schmidt overcame eight walks in seven innings at Pittsburgh as the Pirates extended their winning streak to seven games.

It’s the Pirates’ longest streak since the 1992 NL East champions won seven in a row from Aug. 29-Sept. 5.

Philadelphia 8, Florida 6--Kevin Stocker singled to break a seventh-inning tie at Philadelphia and five relievers held Florida scoreless for 6 2/3 innings as the Phillies rallied to beat the Marlins.

Stocker went three for five with three RBIs as the Phillies rapped out 17 hits.

St. Louis 5, Chicago 3--Ron Gant and Royce Clayton homered, and Todd Stottlemyre pitched seven strong innings at St. Louis as the Cardinals cut their magic number to six.

The win, combined with Houston’s loss in Atlanta, gave the Cardinals a 4 1/2-game lead in the NL Central.