Morgan Is Almost Perfect in Victory

SAN DIEGO — Cincinnati’s Mike Morgan took a perfect game into the seventh inning before Mark Sweeney broke up his bid as the Reds defeated the San Diego Padres, 2-0, Wednesday night.

Morgan (4-10) was perfect for 6 1/3 innings before Sweeney blooped a first-pitch fastball into center field, the ball dropping easily in front of Deion Sanders. It was the only hit Morgan allowed.

After Sweeney’s hit, Morgan walked Steve Finley. Ken Caminiti grounded into a forceout as Sweeney advanced, but Morgan threw a called third strike past Wally Joyner.

Morgan, 0-5 with a 5.74 earned-run average in his previous six starts, struck out six and walked one. He had not won since July 4 at Houston, when he pitched five innings in a 4-2 victory.

Stan Belinda pitched a hitless eighth, walking Greg Vaughn, and Jeff Shaw finished with a perfect ninth for his 23rd save in 27 chances. On a day when San Diego traded outfielder Rickey Henderson to the Angels, the Padres were one-hit for the 22nd time, the second this season. It was the first one-hitter for the Reds since John Smiley pitched one against St. Louis last Sept. 22.

Pete Smith (4-3) allowed two runs and five hits in six innings.

Cincinnati went ahead in the fourth when Pokey Reese doubled and scored on a sacrifice fly by Eduardo Perez. Sanders reached on an infield single leading off the sixth and scored on Chris Styne’s RBI single.

Quilvio Veras, taking over Henderson’s leadoff spot, went 0 for three. Veras is hitting .100 with only four hits in his last 40 at-bats.

The Padres’ Tony Gwynn missed his fifth consecutive game following his arthroscopic surgery Friday to remove a kidney stone. Gwynn might start today.

With Henderson being traded and Gwynn still ailing, Sweeney made only his second start in right field since he was acquired from St. Louis on June 13.

For the Reds, Barry Larkin sat out his fifth consecutive game because of a strained left calf.

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