G. Vaughn Hits 50 In Padres' Win

The San Diego Padres finished with their own 50-50 club.

Greg Vaughn became the fourth player to hit 50 homers this season and Trevor

In his last at-bat of the regular season, Vaughn broke a 1-1 tie in the eighth with a two-run shot off Aaron Small (3-1), joining Mark McGwire (70), Sammy Sosa (66) and Ken Griffey Jr. (56) in the 50-homer club.

"It really is a load off my chest," he said. "My teammates were pulling for me, the fans were pulling for me. Everybody was saying, `Hit 50, hit 50, hit 50.' And subconsciously I started thinking about it, started pressing instead of just being myself."

He said he watched some video of his swing after Saturday's game, made a little adjustment and felt much better on Sunday.

"I'm just glad it gave us a win," Vaughn said, "something positive going into the playoffs."

The Padres had lost nine of 12 going into Sunday's game.

Before this year, there had never been more than two 50-homer players in a single season. And no team had ever had one player with 50 homers and another top 50 saves.

"Anytime you have two players reach personal milestones like that, it's pretty fantastic," Hoffman said. "No one sets out to achieve personal goals like that. A lot of it is just a product of good team play."

Vaughn, who connected for the first time in 40 at-bats since Sept. 14, set a caeer-high with 119 RBI, tying Tony Gwynn's 1997 total for second-most in San Diego history. He became the 10th NL player and 27th major leaguer to hit 50 in a season.

Hoffman got three consecutive outs for his 53rd save in 54 chances, tying the NL saves record set by teammate Randy Myers, who did it for the Cubs in 1993.

"He's been awesome ever since I've been here," Vaughn said. "I don't think he gets the credit or the notoriety all the big-time closers get in baseball, but he's the best. He's an animal."

The Padres, who open the playoffs Tuesday at Houston, became the first team in the majors to make it through the season without being swept in a series since Philadelphia in its pennant-winning season of 1993.

Andy Benes, who finished with a club record 27 scoreless innings, failed in his bid for what would have been an expansion record 15th victory. He left with a 1-0 lead after seven innings, allowing five hits, striking out six and walking one.

Benes was 3-0 in five September starts, allowing two earned runs in 38 1/3 innings (0.47 ERA). Benes refused to be bitter.

"I've played for a long time," Benes said. "Anybody who goes out there is doing the very best they can. I don't think any of my teammates question me and my desire when I go out there, so I would never question anybody else's, and I felt bad for Aaron."

Travis Lee and Jay Bell homered for the Diamondbacks, who finished their first season 65-97, two better than the expansion Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Lee, who also homered in Arizona's first game ever, hit his 22nd off Joey Hamilton to put the Diamondbacks up 1-0 in the third. After striking out three times, Bell hit his 20th homer in the eighth off Brian Boehringer to cut San Diego's lead to 3-2.

Matt Clement (2-0) won in relief.

Small gave up a leadoff home run to Andy Sheets that tied the score in the eighth. Gwynn singled, George Arias hit into a fielder's choice and Vaughn hit a 1-2 pitch into the Arizona bullpen down the left-field line.

Benes retired 12 consecutive batters before Steve Finley singled with one out in the seventh. Finley advanced to third on Chris Gomez's two-out double, but Benes got out of the jam by striking out Greg Myers.

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