Teufel’s Blast Makes for Happy Padres : Baseball: Newest Padre homers in 7-2 victory over Houston on a day filled with conflict.

In yet another episode of the Padres’ ongoing soap opera, the newcomer from New York stole the stage Saturday night at San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium.

Tim Teufel, who arrived in town just in time for a quick nap and a taxi ride to the ballpark, stepped up and led the Padres to a 7-2 victory over the Houston Astros in front of a sellout audience of 54,517, the third-largest regular-season crowd in club history.

Teufel, acquired Friday from the New York Mets for shortstop Garry Templeton, stepped up to the plate in the first inning with his .118 batting average and hit a three-run homer into the left-field seats. He reached base in three of his four plate appearances, drawing two walks. And playing in his first game this season at second base, he was flawless, even turning a double play.

Little wonder why Padre Manager Greg Riddoch informed reporters after the game that Teufel, the fifth second baseman used this season, will be a permanent fixture in the lineup. If he’s not playing second base, he’ll be playing third, he’ll be backing up first.

“It’s a new beginning for me,” Teufel, 32, said. “I wasn’t being used in New York, so this is refreshing. It’s finally an opportunity for me to play, and it means I’ll finally get off the bench.

“I knew I’d get traded, but I just didn’t know it’d work out this good.”

Teufel’s heroics were all the Padres (25-25) needed to beat the Astros (18-30) for the eighth consecutive time in San Diego and win their third home game in a row for the first time this season.

First baseman Fred McGriff co-starred in the production with his three-run homer in the third inning, and starter Bruce Hurst was admirable in his supporting role by pitching a seven-hit complete game.

“(Hurst) told me before the game,” Riddoch said, “ ‘All I need is one run.’ ”

It also was all the Padres needed to leave behind their clubhouse melodrama.

Catcher Benito Santiago and Riddoch met behind closed doors for 25 minutes; shortstop Tony Fernandez and General Manager Joe McIlvaine met behind another set of closed doors; first base Coach Rob Picciolo met on the dugout bench with McIlvaine; Santiago explained to reporters how Riddoch apologized for his actions; Fernandez explained to reporters why he’s mad at Picciolo; McIlvaine told reporters it was a family discussion; Picciolo assured reporters the problem was solved; and Riddoch told reporters he had no comment.

And to prevent the nasty media from knowing any more about their in-house squabbling, the Padres announced Saturday that the coaches’ office is off-limits from reporters.

And you thought those fun-loving days of ‘All My Padres’ were over.

The Santiago-Riddoch feud commanded center stage. Santiago was taken out of Thursday’s game and benched Friday by Riddoch for not hustling down the basepaths. Santiago, who did not know of his benching until reading the morning newspapers, blasted Riddoch for not telling him face-to-face.

Riddoch, then reading about Santiago’s criticism in Saturday’s papers, called Santiago into his office at 4:25 p.m. They met for 25 minutes, and when they parted, they agreed that any future problems would be handled internally.

“He apologized to me, he apologized to me big-time,” Santiago said. “He knows what he did made me feel pretty bad. I don’t have no problems. He just wanted to explain a few things. We got things straightened out.

“I’m just sick that every year something like this happens. I don’t even open my mouth, and someone else says something. Man, I get tired of it.”

In the other corner was the Fernandez-Picciolo feud. They engaged in a heated screaming match on the field Friday that carried into the tunnel and the clubhouse. McIlvaine intervened Saturday.

“It’s been building up for a few days,” Fernandez said. “He was disrespectful toward me. And I told him not to show me up in front of the players.”

Apparently, Picciolo attempted to call Fernandez in from the field before Friday’s game to sit in a meeting. Fernandez, still upset about the Templeton trade, said, ‘Why, have I been traded too.’ ”

“He just went off,” Fernandez said. “I think that’s when he (Picciolo) went out of control. You don’t go out on the field and show up your players like that.

“Listen, the last thing I want to do is cause trouble. I’ve been so misunderstood my whole career. Latin players are always misunderstood.”

Fernandez, believing that Riddoch also misunderstood Templeton, revealed his warm relationship with Templeton, and to honor him soon will be wearing his uniform No. 1.

“I’m really going to miss him,” Fernandez said. “He always helped me out. I used to wear No. 1, and I remember when I came here, he said, ‘Do you want it?’ I couldn’t do that. I couldn’t take that away from him.

“I know when I get the number, I’m going to remember Tempy.”

And on the injury front:

The Padres have conceded that Padre starter Ed Whitson will have to miss at least one more start with elbow tendinitis, and likely will be placed on the disabled list.

“They’ve told me to shut it down,” said Whitson, who was told not to pick up a baseball until Tuesday.

The Padres likely will decide today whom they’ll bring up to the roster to replace Whitson. The simple choice would be to bring up second baseman Marty Barrett, who is ready to return from the disabled list. Yet, they may bring up right-handed reliever Tim Scott, who’s 5-0 with a 2.65 ERA at triple-A Las Vegas, allowing 32 hits in 37 1/3 innings.