SPORTSTICKER NL RECAP SAN DIEGO (Ticker) -- Pete Harnisch is doing his best to erase some bad memories at Qualcomm Stadium. Harnisch tossed a three-hitter for his major league-leading second shutout and smacked his first career home run, a two-run shot in the seventh inning that gave the surging Cincinnati Reds a 3-0 victory over the San Diego Padres. Harnisch (4-4) allowed a single and two doubles with two walks and four strikeouts for his 10th career shutout and 21st career complete game. He also blanked St. Louis on six hits, 3-0, in his first start of the season on April 9. "I didn't feel all that well early on, but I felt better as I went along," Harnisch said. "I'm not going to compare games. I think I had a little better control that time (against St. Louis). I didn't strike out a lot of people, it was just one of those nights when they hit them hard they were right at somebody." "He was in complete command all the way through," manager Jack McKeon observed. "He went in in the ninth with about 100 pitches and he was always getting out in front in the count. He started the season a week behind, but he's starting to put it together just when we need it." On Opening Day 1997, Harnisch surrendered three consecutive home runs for the New York Mets at San Diego, then sought counseling for depression brought on in part by his attempt to stop chewing tobacco. Since then, however, the veteran righthander has given up just one run and 10 hits in three starts at Qualcomm Stadium, spanning 24 innings. "I don't think there is anything to it. I like this ballpark, I like coming here," Harnisch said. "I really feel comfortable here. I don't know whether it is the mound or that home plate looks closer, but there is nothing to that." He allowed only three runners to reach second base and retired nine in a row before Quilvio Veras' two-out single in the eighth. Former Padre Greg Vaughn drove in the other run for Cincinnati, which has won six of its last seven games to move over .500 at 20-19. Padres rookie Heath Murray (0-1) pitched well, allowing all three runs and nine hits in 6 2/3 innings. San Diego, which placed All-Star right fielder Tony Gwynn on the disabled list before the game, has dropped five of its last seven. "I was pretty pleased with the way things went for the most part," said Murray, who was recalled from the minors on Thursday. "There were just a couple pitches here and there that cost me. But for the first time out, I'm happy." The Reds scored the only run Harnisch needed in the fourth. Pokey Reese led off with a single, stole second and took third on Sean Casey's groundout before Vaughn doubled. In the seventh, Mark Lewis hit a leadoff single but Jeffrey Hammonds hit an apparent double-play grounder to third base. George Arias' throw to second was low and Veras was unable to complete the double play. After Ed Taubensee struck out, Harnisch hit the next pitch over the auxiliary scoreboard in left field for his first career home run. "I've hit a few in batting practice, actually the most ever in batting practice this season. So maybe it's coming around," said Harnisch, who connected in his 341st career at-bat. "It was a fastball right there. They throw me that pitch all the time. I usually hit a nice little ground ball." Murray could have been out of the inning if his teammates turned the double play, but said, "Nonetheless, I shouldn't be throwing fastballs right down the chute to anybody. You can do that in the minors to somebody and get away with it because the pitchers don't hit as much. "Smitty (pitching coach Dave Smith) told me about him before the game. He said, `He can hit.' That isn't the place to chute fastballs right in there."  