NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Padres Lose to Cubs, Unload Harris, Hurst

The San Diego Padres traded pitchers Bruce Hurst and Greg Harris to the Colorado Rockies on Monday, and at the same time became the team with the lowest payroll in the major leagues.

The team later lost for the 63rd time this season, tied for the most in the National League West, falling to the Chicago Cubs, 9-6, in 11 innings at Chicago.

Hurst, a 35-year-old left-hander who is on the disabled list for the second time this season, is making $2.75 million. Harris, a 29-year-old right-hander, is making $2 million.

San Diego received two minor leaguers--catcher Brad Ausmus, who makes the $109,000 minimum, and pitcher Doug Bochtler, who was left in the minors. The Padres also will get another player, believed to be right-hander Andy Ashby, a former Philadelphia Phillie pitcher who was sent to triple-A Colorado Springs last month.

“If this is going to help it down the line, then it’s a good move,” Hurst said in San Diego. “But then if they strip it down and sell it, it’ll be a sad day in San Diego.”

The deal, which came eight days after Fred McGriff was sent to the Atlanta Braves, dropped the Padres’ payroll to $11.12 million, down from $24.5 million on opening day and $29.2 million at the start of the 1992 season.

On June 24, San Diego traded defending NL batting champion Gary Sheffield to the Florida Marlins. Other Padres traded since last Aug. 31 include pitcher Craig Lefferts and shortstop Tony Fernandez. In addition, San Diego allowed catcher Benito Santiago and reliever Randy Myers to become free agents.

In Monday’s game at Chicago, the Cubs’ Jose Vizcaino hit a three-run homer with two out in the 11th inning to beat the Padres.

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Atlanta 12, Colorado 7--Deion Sanders hit an inside-the-park homer and set up another run with a stolen base as the Braves beat the Rockies before 62,937 at Denver.

Greg Maddux (11-8) won his fourth in a row for the Braves.

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Cincinnati 6, Houston 1--Jose Rijo (8-5) pitched five-hit ball for eight innings as the Reds won at Houston.

Astro starter Darryl Kile’s major league-best nine-game winning streak ended. Kile (11-2) gave up five runs and six hits in 2 2/3 innings.