Padres Deal Giants First Loss

Finally, the San Diego Padres found their power stroke. Even so, it's not something they figure to display on a regular basis.

John Vander Wal and Jim Leyritz hit consecutive home runs in a five-run third inning and Wally Joyner also homered as the Padres sent the San Francisco Giants to their first loss, 11-1 on a rainy Saturday.

"Just putting some runs on the board was the big thing," said San Diego's Tony Gwynn, whose 16 homers last season were the most by any Padres holdover following the departures of sluggers Greg Vaughn and Ken Caminiti.

San Diego had hit only two homers in the previous five games and hadn't scored more than four runs.

Dave Magadan and Damian Jackson each added two-run doubles for the Padres, unbothered by a steady rain that fell throughout the game. San Francisco had won its first five games, its best start since 1987.

"Certainly, you want to win every game, but you know it won't last forever," Giants manager Dusty Baker said.

Andy Ashby (1-1), shelled for six runs while lasting just one inning in a season-opening loss to Colorado, allowed six hits in seven innings.

"It was nice seeing the offense break out like we did and I think it goes to show what type of club we really have," Ashby said. "When the offense came out and scored some runs early, I just came out and tried to stay away from the big inning."

He gave up a fifth-inning home run to reliever Felix Rodriguez his first major league hit in four career at-bats.

"Ashby had a real good stuff," San Francisco's Rch Aurilia said. "You know he wanted to prove something after his first game. He mixed it up and he kept us off balance, plus (with the rain) it was a good day for him to pitch."

Bruce Bochy, who led the Padres to two division titles and their second World Series appearance, got his 338th win in four-plus seasons in San Diego, surpassing Dick Williams (337) as the team's winningest manager.

"I guess I've been around here for a while," Bochy said. "Dick Williams is somebody I look up to. It's not something I ever thought about but it does mean something, plus playing for Dick gives it a little extra meaning for me."

Gwynn went 2-for-4, boosting his career hits total to 2,937. He would be the 22nd player to reach 3,000.

Mark Gardner (0-1) lasted 3 2-3 innings, giving up seven runs and seven hits, including three homers. Gardner has been tagged for five homers in two starts this season and is 0-5 with an 8.83 ERA in his last seven starts against the Padres.

"It was a tough day all the way around," Baker said. "Gardy got some balls up early and they didn't miss 'em. Now, we've got to come back tomorrow."

Joyner led off the second with his first homer, and San Diego went in front 6-0 in the fifth on Gwynn's run-scoring single, a three-run homer by Vander Wal and a solo shot by Leyritz.

Reggie Sanders' RBI single with two outs in the fourth chased Gardner, and the Padres scored four runs in the seventh when Magadan and Jackson hit consecutive doubles off Rodriguez.

Notes: Gardner has not beaten the Padres since July 27, 1995, when he was with Florida. ... San Diego has played 68 straight regular season series without being swept. ... The successive homers by Vander Wal and Leyritz were the first by San Diego since last Aug. 28, when Greg Vaughn and Mark Sweeney went deep against Montreal. ... Vander Wal left in the fifth with a mild strain of his right groin. ... Rodriguez's homer gave Giants pitchers four RBIs. It was the first homer by a Giants pitcher since Russ Ortiz hit one out last Sept. 24 against Pittsburgh. ... San Francisco had scored at least seven runs in each of the previous five games.

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