Schilling Impresses With 10 Strikeouts

If the Philadelphia Phillie bullpen were better, Curt Schilling would have 17 victories. Still, he’s putting together an impressive season.

Schilling became the first pitcher since Dwight Gooden in 1984 to reach double digits in strikeouts 15 times in one season, and the Phillies beat the Padres, 7-6, in 12 innings Wednesday at Philadelphia.

San Diego, which has lost nine of 11, tied the score in the ninth when Ricky Bottalico blew a save for the seventh time in 32 chances--four of which cost Schilling wins.

Bottalico couldn’t hold a 6-3 lead in the ninth as Quilvio Veras and Steve Finley hit run-scoring singles and Tony Gwynn hit a sacrifice fly, but the Phillies won the game on Kevin Stocker’s 12th-inning single for their first four-game sweep in two seasons.

For the Padres, Ken Caminiti homered into the right-field upper deck on a 0-2 pitch in the sixth, becoming only the 12th player to hit a ball into that level since Veterans Stadium opened in 1971. He reached 20 homers for the third consecutive season.

Gwynn went two for five, leaving his league-leading average at .382.

Padre starter Joey Hamilton gave up six runs and 11 hits in seven-plus innings. He had been 6-1 in his previous 14 starts.

Schilling gave up three runs and six hits in six innings, struck out 10 and walked two. He raised his strikeout total to 264, tying Seattle’s Randy Johnson for the major-league lead.

“I had some fatigue and my arm felt a little tired,” said Schilling, who is 13-10 with a 2.92 earned-run average.

Phillie Manager Terry Francona said of Schilling: “He clearly battled himself, but he also battled. He doesn’t have to have his best stuff, and he deserved to get a win today.”

“I [stunk] today and I’ve [stunk] a lot lately,” Bottalico said. “We should have won the game, and I went out there and stunk up the joint.”

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NEXT SERIES FOR ANGELS

WHO: San Diego Padres

WHERE: at San Diego

WHEN: Today, 2 p.m.; Friday, 7 p.m.