Padre Hit Parade Led by Gwynn and Henderson

Tony Gwynn raised his average back to .400 and Rickey Henderson knocked in four runs as the San Diego Padres won their first game against the Seattle Mariners, 8-5, Wednesday night.

Gwynn went two for four, including a run-scoring double off Jeff Fassero, to post the best average in the majors. Colorado’s Larry Walker went hitless in four at-bats in a 9-1 loss to Texas to drop to .397.

The left-handed Fassero (8-4) had been 5-0 with a save and a 1.30 earned run average in 10 games at San Diego, all with the Montreal Expos. He was traded to Seattle in the off-season.

The Mariners gave him early leads of 1-0 and 2-1, but Chris Gomez’s two-run homer on a 2-0 pitch with none out in the fourth put the Padres up 4-2.

With the Padres still holding a two-run lead in the eighth, Henderson knocked in three runs with a double off former Padre Scott Sanders to give San Diego an 8-3 lead.

The explosive San Diego offense dropped Fassero to 8-3 lifetime against San Diego and also allowed Joey Hamilton (6-3) to win consecutive decisions for just the second time this year. Hamilton allowed three runs and nine hits in seven innings, including solo homers by Russ Davis and Paul Sorrento.

Edgar Martinez hit a solo homer off reliever Trevor Hoffman for the Mariners in a two-run ninth, his 14th. The Mariners brought the tying run to the plate in Dan Wilson, but Hoffman struck him out for the final out.

Leading 5-3, Hamilton extricated himself from a bases-loaded jam with one out in the seventh. He walked Joey Cora, allowed a double to Alex Rodriguez and intentionally walked Ken Griffey Jr. Hamilton struck out Jay Buhner and got Sorrento to ground to first.

The game drew 39,018, well above San Diego’s home average of 25,082.

Henderson extended his major-league record with his 71st leadoff homer, his fourth of the year. Gwynn’s RBI double came in the third.

Archi Cianfrocco doubled leading off the fourth and scored on Gomez’s fifth homer. Quilvio Veras hit a leadoff double in the fifth, stole third and scored on Chris Jones’ grounder for a 5-2 lead. All-Star Ken Caminiti broke up what could have been an inning-ending double play, forcing All-Star shortstop Rodriguez to make a weak throw that pulled Paul Sorrento off first.

Fassero allowed five runs and seven hits in five innings, struck out seven and walked three. It was only the fourth time in 17 starts he has failed to pitch more than five innings.

Fassero became the first Mariner pitcher to get a hit when his bunt fell in about 10 feet in front of first base and he eluded the tag by Cianfrocco.

Sorrento hit his 16th homer leading off the sixth and Davis hit his 12th with one out in the second. Ken Griffey Jr. was three for four.

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NEXT SERIES FOR DODGERS

WHO: San Diego Padres

WHERE: At San Diego

WHEN: Friday: 6 p.m., Saturday: 1 p.m., Sunday: 1 p.m.

NEXT SERIES FOR ANGELS

WHO: Seattle Mariners

WHERE: Anaheim Stadium

WHEN: Friday: 7 p.m., Saturday: 7 p.m., Sunday: 5 p.m.