Gwynn Takes Care of Marlins’ Streak

SAN DIEGO — Florida Manager John Boles will be sporting the beginnings of a goatee, the product of a bet, when the Marlins come to Dodger Stadium for their next series.

The beard is the result of a seven-game winning streak.

But two two-run homers by Tony Gwynn, including the game winner in the eighth inning Saturday night, kept it from being eight.

Gwynn hit a 1-and-0 fastball from reliever Jesus Sanchez (4-5) into the right-field stands to give the Padres a 6-4 win.

The eight-time National League batting champion, also homered in the second inning off Ryan Dempster.

The win was only the Padres’ fourth victory in their last 22 games.

Matt Clement (6-11) won for the first time in eight starts since July 1 against the Dodgers. Clement pitched eight innings, giving up four runs on eight hits with seven strikeouts and three walks.

Trevor Hoffman got the final three outs for his 29th save.

Florida scored twice in the fourth inning on Preston Wilson’s RBI double and a run-scoring single by Todd Dunwoody. The Marlins tied the game, 4-4, on Bruce Aven’s 10th homer, a two-run shot, off Clement in the sixth.

Carlos Baerga’s two-run double in the first scored Gwynn and John Vander Wal, who had walked.

An inning later, Gwynn launched a high fastball for a two-run homer that gave San Diego a 4-0 lead.

San Diego catcher Wiki Gonzalez, recalled Friday from triple-A Las Vegas, made his major-league debut and went three for four, including a single in his first at-bat.

AROUND THE LEAGUE / Group Near Deal to Buy Reds

The Cincinnati Reds’ new ownership group expects to have an agreement ready for baseball owners to consider at their meeting Sept. 15-16 in Cooperstown, N.Y.

Cincinnati financier Carl Lindner, limited partner Bill Reik and another limited partner have agreed to buy out Marge Schott’s controlling interest in the club for $67 million.

Schott signed the deal on April 20. The limited partners have been working out details of how the new ownership group will operate with Lindner as the controlling partner.

If the agreement is approved in Cooperstown, the Reds could be under new ownership on Oct. 1.

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The Colorado Rockies recalled right-hander John Thomson from triple-A Colorado Springs and placed struggling reliever Mike DeJean on the 15-day disabled list.

Thomson, who opened the season with the Rockies, will start the first game of a split doubleheader today against the Montreal Expos. He was 0-5 with an 11.84 earned-run average in six starts before being demoted to the minors in May.

A recurring blister on his pitching hand limited Thomson to five starts at Colorado Springs. He was 0-2 with a 9.45 ERA.