Hoyt Beats Giants for 6th Straight

SAN FRANCISCO —  When LaMarr Hoyt is on top of his game, Padre shortstop Garry Templeton says the infielders enjoy a “stay-ready, on-your-toes,” kind of day.

Well, there was no flat-footedness among the Padres on Saturday afternoon at Candlestick Park.

Mixing a tantalizing curveball, a mean slider, and strategically placed changeups with fastballs, Hoyt threw just 99 pitches in his five-hit, two-hour, three-minute, 1-0 masterpiece against the Giants.

He struck out five and did not walk a batter. In 98 innings, Hoyt has walked only 10.

Fast and to the point is Hoyt’s style. And that makes him a favorite among his infielders, who were in on 14 plays Saturday.

“It’s always fun to play behind a pitcher who is around the plate,” said Templeton, who scored the only run on Tony Gwynn’s looping single with two out in the sixth. “When a pitcher is confident and he grabs the ball and throws it, the infielders make great plays behind him. They are always mentally alert.”

That’s what Hoyt likes to hear.

His recent success makes him the holder of “Streak Two” on the Padres. Obviously, the more acclaimed streak belongs to Andy Hawkins, who is 11-0.

It’s difficult for a club to go into a prolonged slump when the H&H; stoppers have a combined record of 19-4.

Hoyt (8-4) won his sixth straight Saturday, and pitched his fourth consecutive complete game and fifth in six starts. After a 2-4 start, Hoyt has allowed just five earned runs in his last six games for an earned-run average of 0.87. He has lowered his season ERA to 2.85. This was his second shutout of the season and the sixth of his career.

“At the time I was 2-4, I was a little aggravated because I thought I was throwing the ball well,” Hoyt said.

Then came the big break that Hoyt said really got him turned around. After being bombed by the Cardinals in a 12-2 loss on May 15, he faced the Mets in Shea Stadium.

New York had the bases loaded with nobody out in the first inning, and Gary Carter coming to the plate. On a 3-0 pitch, which Hoyt said might have been his last of the game, Carter bounced into a double play. Hoyt retired the next batter and beat Dwight Gooden, 2-0.

Hoyt’s streak had started.

“I really feel good throwing the ball now,” Hoyt said. “And if you change speeds well in this league, you should have some success. This (National League) is more of a fastball-hitting league, and therefore, my changeup is better here.”

His off-speed pitches were effective in the sixth inning, when Hoyt was forced to pitch out of two semi-Giant rallies. No Giant advanced past second base Saturday.

Gwynn’s fifth-inning single to left proved to be the game-winning hit.

Unable to do much of anything against right-hander Jim Gott (3-4) in the first four innings, the Padres eked out a run in the fifth.

With one out, Templeton lined a single to right. It was the second hit of the game for one of the Padres’ hottest hitters. Templeton has hit in 13 of his last 16 games (23 for 57) for a .404 mark.

“I’ve never seen him hit the ball so hard so consistently,” said Deacon Jones, Padre batting coach.

Templeton agreed that he’s hitting the ball as well as he ever has since coming to the Padres.

“I have a good rhythm going and I’m being a little more patient,” he said. “It also helps that I’m running better and can move at the plate.”

Hoyt sacrificed Templeton to second. Tim Flannery walked on four pitches to bring up Gwynn.

“He was working me away,” Gwynn said, “and I tried to go to left all day.”

Gwynn hit a hand-stinging soft fly that had shortstop Jose Uribe turning in all directions.

“I got it off the end of the bat,” Gwynn said. “When I hit it, I thought it was over his head and would be a hit.”

That was the only run the Padres were able to manage against Gott (five innings before leaving the game with a strain in the right side of his lower back), Scott Garrelts (three innings) and Greg Minton (one inning).

It was also the only run they needed for Hoyt, a former Cy Young Award winner who is often compared to Catfish Hunter.

“He works quick like Catfish,” said Nettles, who has played third for both of them. “However, he throws more slow stuff than Catfish, and, therefore, I get a little more action. Catfish threw high fastballs that brought about long fly balls.”

Nettles added that the important thing is that both are always around the plate.

“There are so many pitchers who take so much time that they put players to sleep by the seventh or eighth inning,” he said.

On Saturday afternoon, the Padres were never even tempted to take a nap. On the contrary, they were on their toes and the Giant hitters were the ones mesmerized.

Just the way Hoyt likes it.

Padre Notes

Right-hander Ed Wojna will make his major league debut in the second game of today’s doubleheader. The 24-year-old was recalled from Las Vegas on Saturday to take Greg Booker’s place on the roster. Booker was sent to Las Vegas on Friday. Wojna was 4-5 with a 3.89 ERA in 13 starts at Las Vegas. He had five complete games, walked 30 and struck out 46 in 83 innings. In his last outing, Wojna gave up three runs and seven hits in a 5-3 win over the Albuquerque Dukes on Tuesday night. Wojna will face Vida Blue (3-1). . . . Mark Thurmond (3-4) will go against Mike Krukow (4-4) in the opener at 12:05 p.m. . . . Based on their performances Sunday, Manager Dick Williams said either Thurmond or Wojna will join the rotation as the fifth starter. . . . Both games will be broadcast on KFMB (760) and telecast on KCST (Channel 39). . . . San Diego’s 20 wins on the road are the most in the major leagues. They are 20-14. Toronto leads the American League with 18 road victories. . . . Streaks and marks: Terry Kennedy is 0 for 17. Tony Gwynn has hit in 13 of 15 games, going 26 for 66 (.391). Graig Nettles drew one walk Saturday to increase his National League-leading total to 41.