But after scoring four unearned runs off ace Kevin Brown in the second inning of Sunday's series finale, they liked their chances.

The Padres couldn't hold on, though, losing 5-4 at Qualcomm Stadium. They won the first two games by identical scores.

"I think all three games obviously could have gone either way, so getting two out of three is decent," said Padres third baseman Phil Nevin. "In the situation we were in today, when you have a chance to beat Brown like that, you've got to take advantage of it."

So the Padres three-game losing streak ended and, after an off day, will take a 6-6 record into Tuesday's game at home against the Rockies.

Manager Bruce Bochy welcomed the off day as a couple Padres got banged up. Center fielder Mike Darr left Sunday's game with a groin injury in the sixth inning. And Nevin's shoulder popped out while sliding hard into second bse. It popped back in and he was able to finish the game. He said it's happened before. He expects to be sore on Tuesday, but ready to play.

WHO'S HOT: Reliever Jay Witasick hasn't allowed an earned run in 9 2/3 innings. He pitched a perfect inning with two strikeouts on Sunday.

HITCHCOCK UPDATE: Left-hander Sterling Hitchcock made his third start for Single-A Lake Elsinore on Sunday. Hitchcock allowed one earned run on six hits and struck out five in five innings against San Jose. He threw 63 pitches. Hitchcock underwent "Tommy John" elbow surgery as well as ankle surgery last season.

Winfield going into Hall as a Padre

Dave Winfield will go into baseball's Hall of Fame this summer as a San Diego Padre, a decision that ranks fairly high on the surprise scale -- and exceptionally high on the amusement scale.

Not that there is anything wrong with Winfield's decision, and not that the Padres haven't waited long enough for their first Hall inductee.

It's just that, well, isn't it entertaining when something doesn't go the Yankees' way? Reaction to this in New York -- which surely will extend from now until way past Hall of Fame induction day Aug. 5 -- will be cause for more amusement than a year's worth of "Seinfeld'' reruns.

Winfield's decision snaps a three-year streak in which everything possible has broken in favor of the Yanks and owner George Steinbrenner. And without question, Steinbrenner has been paving the way for two years -- since he and Winfield ended their feud in 1999 -- for Winfield to enter the Hall as a Yankee.

In fact, as you open this year's Yankees media guide, the very first page contains a photo of Winfield following through on a swing with the words "Dave Winfield, 2001 Hall-of-Fame Inductee. Flip the page and there's a mug of Winfield in a Yanks cap, complete with his biography, statistics -- and a Hall logo.

Winfield 1, Steinbrenner 0.

In Round 2, of course.

Winfield started his career in San Diego, where he collected 1,134 hits, 154 homers and 638 RBI in just under 7 1/2 seasons. In just over eight seasons with the Yankees, he collected 1,300 hits, 205 homers and 818 RBI.

Either logo would be fitting on his cap.

Maybe this decision really was as agonizing as Winfield made it out to be. Or, perhaps he simply strung the Yankees along in his best chance to get back at Steinbrenner since King George tagged him as "Mr. May'' in the early 1980s.

Whatever, New Yorkers were insulted and outraged in December when Mike Hampton listed one of his reasons for fleeing the Mets as the fact that Colorado has better schools.

Just wait till they sink their teeth into this one.

Steinbrenner just may order a recall on all 2001-model media guides, and return them minus a page or two.

Scott Miller, SportsLine

MILITARY GEAR: The Padres, to honor the military, wore camouflage jerseys and green caps on Thursday night. And, on the verge of being swept for the second time in a week by the Giants, they produced an 8-3 victory.

"It's nice to beat the Giants," manager Bruce Bochy said. "It looked like we had to disguise ourselves to do it, but we did it."

The Padres had lost five straight games to the Giants this season and seven overall.

"Before the game, nothing was said, you know, `We've got to beat these guys,' or anything," winning pitcher Adam Eaton said. "But definitely everybody was thinking we need to beat these guys, or it would have been two sweeps in a row."

Eaton (2-0) allowed three runs and seven hits in six innings, struck out six and walked one.

FREAK PLAY COSTLY: The Padres lost a 2-1 game on Wednesday, partly because a wild pitch by Trevor Hoffman in the ninth inning ended up lodged underneath catcher Wiki Gonzalez's chest protector.

Giants' baserunner Calvin Murray, who was a second when the pitch was delivered, was awarded third on the play, then scored the winning run on a sacrifice fly.

Originally, Murray had been caught in a rundown between second and third when Gonzalez pulled the ball out from under his chest protector and fired to shorstop Donald Mendez at second base.

"I saw the ball hit the dirt and I never saw Wiki retrieve the ball," Murray said. "I thought it went in his chest protector. I was thinking he didn't know where the ball was. I took off three or four steps and he pulled it out like a rabbit out of his hat."

Ultimately it made no difference because Murray was automatically given third because of an interference call on Gonzalez.

"That is the first time I've ever seen that anywhere," Giants manager Dusty Baker said. "Amateur ball, minor league ball, big league ball. I've never seen it."

ANOTHER MILESTONE: Tony Gwynn's RBI double in the seventh inning on Thursday was his 535th career double, tying Lou Gehrig for 22nd on the career list. It was his 3,115th career hit.

The plan was to play Gwynn no more than two straight games early on to rest his knee, but the San Diego outfielder played in his third straight on Thursday. Gwynn, whose 2000 season ended after knee surgery on June 27, is hitting .333 (7-for-21) with five RBI.

BEATING LIVAN: The Padres became the last NL team to beat San Francisco's Livan Hernandez, who allowed five runs -- four earned -- and eight hits in six innings on Thursday. He had been 3-0 against San Diego in five previous starts.

BOCHY'S BREAK: Rough opening few weeks for San Diego manager Bruce Bochy, who will remain in a soft walking cast for six weeks after tearing ligaments in his right ankle in a minor motorcycle accident.

Who's the 3B of the future?

Phil Nevin's great start at the plate makes it clear that he's not going to be clearing way in the lineup for prospect Sean Burroughs anytime soon. And he's not ready to move in the field, either.

Nevin and Burroughs, who is in Triple A, are both third baseman at the moment.

"It's a good problem," Nevin told the San Diego Union-Tribune. "But right now, I feel like our best team is with me at third. Not only that, I've got a good idea that there are several teams in this league that would like me to play third base for them. Not that I want to go anywhere (in a trade), but I'd much rather stay at third base."

Nevin said the only position he might consider moving to would be first base, but the Padres have Ryan Klesko anchored over there, and no plans to move him back to the outfield. He was a horrendous outfielder with the Braves.

Nevin's reputation at third could also use some work. Last year he had the worst fielding percentage and highest error total among National League third baseman. One explanation, Nevin said, is that he didn't get to work on his defense last spring because of an ankle injury. Also, he's still trying to get acclimated to the position after the Tigers and Angels tried to make him a catcher.

"I feel as comfortable as I've ever felt over there," Nevin said. "I no longer sit out there at third during a game and not want them to hit a ball to me. It's just the opposite. I want every ball hit at me. I know I'm going to make the play. I tell our pitchers if they get a runner on, hey, get me a ground ball.

"My legs feel good. The work that we did in the offseason and all spring with the agility and the footwork, I feel like it's paid off. I feel great. Knock on wood, hopefully it will stay like that."

So what does that mean for Burroughs? He's considered an outstanding defensive third baseman right now, perhaps a Gold Glove winner one day. And his bat is not likely to keep him out of the majors.

The former first-round pick has a career minor-league average of .329. When he came up to the Padres to take batting practice shortly after he was signed in 1998, he made an impression on Tony Gwynn.

"When a guy gets drafted and takes his first batting practice with us, most guys are trying to show how much pop they've got," Gwynn told the Union-Tribune. "The first two balls Sean hit were two line drives over shortstop, into left-center. He just moved the ball around, under control, not in awe, just doing his thing, doing it the way he's always done.

"I just think he's going to be a real solid player for us," Gwynn said. "When that's going to be, I don't know. I don't know what's in the cards, because we've got a good third baseman right now. But (Burroughs is) on the fast track. Next year, he'll be fighting somebody."

BIG CROWDS: Although the Padres are a consensus pick to finish last in the National League West this year, the team is still expecting to draw 2.3 to 2.5 million fans, not far below the club record set in 1998, when the Padres won the pennant.

Closer Trevor Hoffman said San Diego is unlike many other cities that have trouble drawing fans even with winning teams.

"This is a more understanding place," Hoffman told the Union-Tribune. "We're not projected to do some things this year. But we believe in ourselves, and the fans of San Diego are in it for the long haul. They understand our plight.

"I don't think they expect us to compete year in and year out, like the Braves and Yankees. I don't think they necessarily agree with every move (the club) makes, but I think they buy into the idea that the San Diego Padres are not necessarily the personnel and all that."

SITTING DOWN: Chris Gomez, who won the starting shortstop job in spring training, got benched after just four games, including an eight at-bat hitless streak. Gomez couldn't complain much about the move because Donaldo Mendez went on to go 5-for-8 with a homer in his next two starts at shortstop.

"Hey, I can't argue with that," Gomez told the Union-Tribune. "I've got to get my swing. That's how it should be. I'm just being realistic. If you're swinging the bat well and we're winning, you should be out there."

Gomez was only expected to start about two-thirds of the games anyway.

STAT CORNER: Mark Kotsay's 53 outfield assists over the past three seasons lead the majors.

QUOTEWORTHY: "He's day to day for the rest of his career." -- Padres manager Bruce Bochy told the Union-Tribune, after Gwynn pulled himself from the lineup because of a sore knee for the second time in the season's first week.