James’ Catch Helps Set Up Padre Victory : Santiago’s Fly in Ninth Finishes Off Houston, 2-1

SAN DIEGO — Ed Whitson fielded Rafael Ramirez’s grounder, flipped it to Jack Clark at first for the third out and began to figure out the best route to Chris James.

It was just the seventh inning, but Whitson never took his eyes off James.

Three batters earlier, James never took his eyes off the ball. Glenn Davis, who has 27 home runs this year, sent a Whitson pitch toward the right-field fence. James eyed the ball, drifted back and leaped high above the 370-foot sign. His glove snaked over. He caught the ball and saved the homer.

So Whitson half-walked toward the dugout and half-walked toward right to greet James. They slapped hands, yelled and disappeared into the dugout.

Neither realized it at the time, but that catch, the one James called the best of his career, set the stage for one of the best Padre ninth innings of the year.

They scored two runs in their final at-bat to defeat Houston, 2-1, in front of 15,574 in San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium.

It was the Padres’ first comeback victory in the ninth at home this season, their 31st comeback overall. It came against a second-place team, one the Padres trail by six games in the NL West standings. And it was what the Padres were waiting for.

Tony Gwynn led off the ninth with a single off reliever Juan Agosto. Up stepped Jack Clark. Houston countered with pitcher Dave Smith, who had 22 saves in 24 save situations.

Clark walked. James, the Padres’ hottest hitter, bunted Gwynn to third and Clark to second. So Smith intentionally walked Carmelo Martinez.

Bases loaded, one out. Bip Roberts at the plate.

“A situation you live for,” Roberts said later.

He walked on four pitches. He clenched his fist and pumped his arm. Gwynn scored. 1-1.

Up stepped Benito Santiago. Earlier this season, against the Astros, Santiago had dropped a third strike with the bases loaded and the Astros down one in the ninth. All he had to do was pick up the ball and step on home for the force. He didn’t. He tried to tag Ken Caminiti, dropped the ball, and Houston won in extra innings.

That was June. Now, Santiago looked for an inside fastball, something he could drive. He got it on the second pitch and flied to left fielder Billy Hatcher. Pinch-runner Shawn Abner easily made it home.

“We were due a few of these,” Padre Manager Jack McKeon said. “They say they all even out, so we should still have about six more of these to go. It’s nice, though, to see someone else walk in the tying run for a change.

“This was a big one. (Houston starter Mark) Portugal baffled the hell out of us for eight innings.”

For eight innings, it looked as if Eric Anthony’s first-inning home run would be the difference. Portugal scattered six hits and struck out eight, matching his season strikeout high.

Whitson nearly matched him. Looking for his career-high 15th victory, he also went eight innings, striking out five and allowing just two hits. Mark Davis (3-3) pitched the ninth and earned the victory.

Aside from the hits--the homer and Glenn Davis’ single in the fourth--Whitson was hit hard just once. That was when Davis pushed James against the right field fence. And it was after that when Whitson tracked James down as the fans stood and cheered.

“I’ll tell you, that was a breath of fresh air when I saw him bring it back across,” Whitson said. “It was a mistake pitch. I tried to bust him inside, and I my momentum jerked the ball outside.

“That was an awesome catch. I gave James a pat on the back, a pat on the (rear end) . . . It was a super catch.”

Said James: “Luck. I didn’t realize I was that close. The ball carried extremely well.”

James, who was traded to San Diego June 3, has been spectacular. He extended his career-high hitting streak to 13 games with a second-inning infield single--although Portugal easily could have been charged with an error--and then added another single in the seventh.

The 13-game hitting streak translates into a .404 average (19 for 47). Since coming to the Padres, James has hit .298 (48 for 161).

The fact that an Astro hit a homer against Whitson was not much of a surprise. Whitson has allowed 18 this season, most on the Padre staff. And Padre pitchers have given up more home runs than any other team in the National League.

And the fact that it was Anthony who hit it was not too surprising, since he was recalled from Columbus, Ga., July 28 to give the Astros some power. He led all minor leaguers with 28 homers before his recall, and Wednesday’s was his second for the Astros.

What was a surprise, though, was the suddenness of the hit, which traveled well into the right field stands. Anthony, who attended Mt. Carmel High School and was batting for the first time in San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium, hit Whitson’s first pitch to him.

“It made me feel really good, coming back and hitting a home run in the park I used to come to as a kid,” Anthony said.

The 1-0 score held up until the ninth.

The Padres put together their only threat against Portugal in the eighth. But with runners on second and third and one out, they couldn’t score.

Mike Pagliarulo singled to lead off the bottom of the eighth, and McKeon sent Roberts in to run. Santiago bunted Roberts to second, and Tim Flannery, batting for Whitson, singled.

But there was just one more highlight to this threat: a double steal. Roberts took third and Flannery second. And that was it. Roberto Alomar struck out, and Garry Templeton grounded to first.

An inning later, though, the Padres won it.

“We need these games,” Roberts said. “It’s real emotional now. We’re trying to get back in it.”

Padre Notes

Right-hander Andy Benes will pitch the first game of Friday’s doubleheader against Atlanta. Benes, who arrived in San Diego early Wednesday afternoon, was one of the last to learn of his recall from triple-A Las Vegas. Benes awoke about 8 a.m. Wednesday with Las Vegas Manager Steve Smith knocking on the door of his Las Vegas Country Club apartment. Turns out that the telephone jack in Benes’ apartment doesn’t work, so when the Padres announced their decision to call him up late Tuesday, nobody could get through.

“I knew something was going on when (Smith) came over, because I was supposed to pitch (Wednesday) night,” Benes said. “I thought I was in trouble.” He might have been if not for the patience of Smith, who spent 10 minutes telling his story to country club security guards before they’d let him in. Benes’ recall was on ESPN late Tuesday, so it’s safe to say sports fans across the country were aware of what was going on before Benes.

The No. 1 draft pick in the nation in the June, 1988 free agent draft, Benes went 8-4 with a 2.16 earned-run average at double-A Wichita this year and 2-1 with an 8.10 ERA at Las Vegas. He also allowed 41 hits in 26 innings at Las Vegas. He said part of the problem was that he was using his off-speed stuff more.

“The first half of the year (at Wichita), I wasn’t tested,” Benes said. “At Vegas, everybody was saying ‘Maybe Andy isn’t as good as he was,’ but I was adjusting and trying to catch up with everyone on my off-speed pitches. I feel like I’ve improved my off-speed stuff. I have a lot more confidence now than at the beginning of the season.”

Benes throws three pitches--a fastball, curve and changeup. He was on the seven-day disabled list earlier in the season with tendinitis in his throwing shoulder, but said he is feeling better now. “It’s not something that just goes away, but it’s gradually been feeling better,” he said. He also said his fastball was clocked between 96 and 97 miles during his last start in Las Vegas, Friday against Tacoma. He went 6 2/3 innings, allowing 10 hits and six runs (four earned).

Benes threw in the bullpen Wednesday under the inspection of Padre pitching coach Pat Dobson. “I talked to him about his front side and his deliveries,” Dobson said. “He had a lot of trouble holding runners on (in the minor leagues). He got too spread out in his stretch. But we got his feet a little closer together, and he used the slide step for me right away. . . . If his ball has movement and he keeps it down and in the strike zone, he should have success.”