Ashby, Vaughn Carry the Padres

Two of San Diego’s five all-stars already are a mile high going into Tuesday’s game at Denver.

Greg Vaughn hit his 29th and 30th homers and Andy Ashby needed only 75 pitches to get through his fifth complete game as the Padres defeated the Colorado Rockies, 7-2, Sunday. The three-game sweep moved the Padres a club-record 26 games above .500.

“It was a fun day, a good day for us,” said Ashby (11-5), who also had an RBI double and collected his 50th victory as a Padre against the team that traded him to San Diego five years ago.

“It was just a good day at the park,” Vaughn said. “The main thing is that Ash did a heck of a job and kept us close early.”

Ashby’s 75 pitches were the fewest by any major leaguer in a complete game this year and the fewest on record since STATS Inc. began keeping pitch counts in 1988. Greg Maddux threw 78 pitches in a complete game last year.

“I know I’ve had 75 in about three innings before,” Ashby said. “I didn’t realize how many pitches I had. I know early they were swinging at the first pitch and the defense turned some great double plays.”

Ashby pitched a five-hitter, faced only three batters over the minimum, struck out two and walked none.

Once the Padres took a big lead, Manager Bruce Bochy thought about taking Ashby out so he’d have something left for the All-Star Game.

“But his pitch count was so low and he was throwing so well,” Bochy said. “I’ve never seen that.”

Padre pitching coach Dave Stewart, a four-time 20-game winner, said his lowest pitch count for a complete game was 98.

Colorado Manager Don Baylor thought Ashby’s pitch count was a misprint.

“We didn’t wear him out,” Baylor said. “I don’t know if he was breathing hard.”

Ashby trails only Atlanta’s Maddux and Tom Glavine for the most wins in the NL.

Vaughn will sit out the All-Star home run contest to give his body a rest and watch what he eats. He got food poisoning before the 1996 All-Star game.