=== San Diego Padres Team Report - June 3 ===

(My Sportsbook) - The San Diego Padres begin the interleague portion of their schedule tonight when they host the Detroit Tigers in the first game of a three-game series at Qualcomm Stadium. It is the first time the two teams are meeting since the Tigers defeated the Padres in five games in the 1984 World Series.

Tonight's contest also pits the worst teams in baseball, as Detroit is a major league worst 14-40, while San Diego has posted the worst mark in the National League at 17-41.

The Padres come into Tuesday's opener after splitting a four-game set with the Arizona Diamondbacks following Monday's 4-1 win. Gary Bennett scored two runs on two hits, while Sean Burroughs added a pair of hits and scored a run for San Diego, which picked up just its fourth win in its last 19 games.

Rondell White increased his hitting streak to 12 games Monday with a single in the third inning. White is hitting .298

Carlton Loewer (1-1) picked up his first victory since May 4, 1999. The 29- year-old Loewer, who missed nearly two seasons following a hunting accident, only yielded one run on five hits and one walk, while striking out two in five innings.

A win tonight would give the Padres consecutive victories for the first time since April 23-25.

Heading to the hill tonight for the Padres will be righthander Brian Lawrence, who has lost six of his last seven decisions. Lawrence, 3-6 with a 4.58 ERA, was a hard-luck loser in his last outing on Thursday against the Milwaukee Brewers. In that contest he entered the ninth inning with a three-hit shutout, but allowed three runs in the frame and suffered a 3-2 loss. He struck out eight in the contest, while walking just two.

This will be his first appearance against the Tigers.

San Diego has posted a 44-48 mark against the AL and was 8-10 a year ago in interleague action.

Members of the 1984 World Series team will be on hand Tuesday, including Terry Kennedy, Ed Whitson, Mark Thurmond, Dave Dravecky, Carmelo Martinez and pitching coach Norm Sherry.

The Padres made some off the field news on Monday when they signed reliever Rod Beck, who last pitched in the majors in 2001. Beck, who saved a career- high 51 games for Chicago in 1998, was pitching as a free-agent with the Cubs' Triple-A affiliate in Des Moines, but was released by them on Saturday.

His last appearance in the big leagues came two years ago with the Boston Red Sox when he went 6-4 with a 3.90 ERA. Tommy John surgery caused him to miss all of last season.

To make room for Beck, the Padres outrighted pitcher Charles Nagy to Portland. Nagy, the former ace of the Cleveland Indians, made five appearances for the Padres and went 0-2 with a 4.38 ERA.