Royster Puts an End to the Padre Singles Scene

The Padres were a Swinging Singles Society before Jerry Royster broke up the party, such as it was, Wednesday afternoon.

As it was, he also broke up the game.

After 18 straight singles in the first two games of the season, the Padres finally got their first extra base hit when Royster doubled home two runs in the ninth inning.

Pitcher Eric Show, who didn’t really need much help, finally had some breathing room as the Padres beat the San Francisco Giants, 3-0.

“That was a big, big hit by Royster,” Manager Dick Williams said. “The cushion helped.”

And Royster was at bat in the ninth because Giant Manager Jim Davenport chose to face him. Left-hander Mark Davis was on the mound and right-hander Frank Williams was in the bullpen. Davenport realized the Padres would counter with left-handed hitting Graig Nettles if he went to the bullpen.

“He was afraid of me,” Nettles said with a laugh. “I get an assist.”

Nettles remained in the dugout and Royster, his platooning partner at third base, drove a double that bounced onto the warning track and against the fence in left-center.

“I got it on the good part of the bat,” Royster said. “I don’t think I’m going to hit many any further.”

And Royster was well aware that he was Davenport’s chosen victim.

“I figured he’d go after me rather than face Nettles,” Royster said. “It ran through my head that he had chosen to face me . Davis had gotten me out yesterday, but . . . “

Wednesday was another day.

After eight singles in Tuesday’s opening loss and 10 more on Wednesday, the Padres finally had an extra base hit--and a victory.

“Singles can be damaging too,” Steve Garvey said.

However, it takes so many of them.

“It’s tough to score runs if you don’t get extra base hits once in a while,” Tony Gwynn said. “If you’re not getting extra base hits or not stealing some bases, you need to bunch three hits together to score.”

And sometimes even three aren’t enough. The Padres had three singles in the third inning, but didn’t score because Mario Ramirez’s single hit baserunner Jerry Davis. Baseball rules dictate that the runner is out and the batter gets a single.

Of course, given the absence of extra base hits, the opponent can occasionally be helpful.

The Padres got a first-inning run on only two hits because of an error by Giant shortstop Johnnie LeMaster, who failed to touch second on a force play. Davis, on base with the first of his three singles, scored when Kevin McReynolds hit the first of his three singles.

However, Giant pitchers were not being charitable. Not a single Padre was unintentionally walked in the season’s first two games.

Gwynn’s solution, aside from extra base hits, is stealing bases, which the Padres have yet to do.

“We’ve got to steal some bags to get some easy runs,” Gwynn said. “But stolen bases are hard to come by until Alan Wiggins is in there.”

Wiggins, of course, is the leadoff man, the trigger man in the attack. He missed the first two games with a knee injury, and may miss the Atlanta series as well.

“I thought I could have played yesterday,” Wiggins said Wednesday, “but there’s no sense rushing it.”

One injured player is in the lineup, and he was Wednesday’s batting hero. Jerry Royster, Mr. Double of the Singles Set. He broke the index finger on his left hand diving for a ball in the second intrasquad game of spring training.

“As far as I know, it’s still broken,” he said.

Royster’s finger is bent and swollen, and he cannot bend it around the bat handle.

“It doesn’t hurt when I bat,” he said. “I get good swings. It only hurts when I catch the ball, and it hurts every time I catch the ball.”

In spite of his heroics, Royster will be on the bench when the Padres open in Atlanta on Friday night--and possibly throughout the series. The Braves are starting three right-handers, and Nettles will be starting at third base for the first time this year.

“I knew before the season what my role would be,” Royster said. “I knew I’d only be starting against left-handers.”

Royster hopes the twists of fate will get him into a game or two against the Braves. After all, they were his teammates for nine years. He is going home.

“I’ve been thinking about what it might be like to go back since I signed with the Padres,” he said. “I’m looking forward to it, but I want to savor this game first.”

Of course, Royster might be surprised. Williams has a day to contemplate adding punch to the lineup, and he might well consider moving Royster to second base. The man is versatile. He started at least 10 games at four different positions for the Braves last year, including second base.

And how can Williams bench the only player who has broken free from the Swinging Singles Society? Maybe he should bat Royster cleanup.