Gwynn Gets Hits, and Takes One Too

Tony Gwynn homered, singled and doubled to move within six hits of 3,000 and the San Diego Padres beat the Houston Astros, 10-3, Sunday to end their losing streak at nine.

In addition to the 3,000-hit milestone, Gwynn may have been inspired by a critical story in Sunday’s San Diego Union-Tribune.

Jim Leyritz, who was traded from San Diego to the New York Yankees on Saturday, told the paper that Gwynn lacked the “intangibles” of a team player. Two unidentified Padres also were quoted as saying there was too much focus on Gwynn’s countdown to 3,000.

After the game, Gwynn initially refused to speak with reporters. He eventually talked to a few beat writers, and although he was clearly angry about the story, he wouldn’t comment on it.

Gwynn received a standing ovation when he was lifted for pinch-runner Damian Jackson after doubling leading off the eighth for his 2,994th hit.

Padre outfielder Reggie Sanders doesn’t think Gwynn’s pursuit of 3,000 hits has been a distraction to the Padres, who went from two games out of first in the NL West to nine games back during the losing streak.

“Tony’s a professional and I’m quite sure he’s been through things like this before,” Sanders said of the critical comments from his teammates. “Although it may hurt because it’s coming from a person that’s in this clubhouse, I see Tony as one of those guys that it might bother him but he’ll let it go.”

Gwynn will most likely reach 3,000 hits during the Padres’ three-city, 11-game trip that starts today in St. Louis.

The Padres avoided a season sweep by the Astros, who had smothered them with their pitching in winning eight consecutive games.

But the Padres hit three homers off Jose Lima (14-6) and chased him after 4 1/3 innings, his shortest outing of the season.