Gossage Takes His Time to Slow Down Cubs in 6-5 Victory

Significant news came before Friday’s game when Steve Garvey reacted to an X-rated chant during batting practice at Wrigley Field.

Some Cubbie fan wearing a “Party Naked” T-shirt had started the cheer in the left field bleachers, getting hundreds of people to scream something like “Steve Garvey stinks,” only the language was stronger.

And Garvey waved to the loving fans out there, tipping his hat. Fortunately, he didn’t make an obscene gesture, for that might have ruined his political career.

Anyway, it just proves how Chicago Cub fans can get to a man, including a man among men, such as Garvey. Consequently, it was no surprise that they got to Goose Gossage, too, after Gossage had given up a three-run home run to Leon Durham in the eighth inning.

Gossage recovered, however, and the Padres held on to win, 6-5.

But it was an interesting little scene.

Behind Garvey’s two-run triple off of Rick Sutcliffe in the first inning, the Padres had led 3-0, and when Graig Nettles and Garry Templeton each homered in the eighth, San Diego led 6-2. The crowd said nothing.

But Gossage entered, and they woke up. First, Durham homered in the eighth. Then, with two outs in the ninth, Gossage allowed two straight walks. Bob Dernier was up. The crowd was up. Gossage’s pitches were up.

So out came pitching coach Galen Cisco, who calmed down the Goose. He told Gossage not to rush his pitches.

And this is really the only coaching that Cisco ever gives Gossage. For years now, Gossage has always reacted to pressure situations by getting the ball, throwing it, getting it back from the catcher, throwing it, all in a matter of seconds.

“It’s been my worst enemy throughout my whole career,” Gossage said. “(When they rallied), I tried to throw it harder, and it consequently went slower. You end up trying too hard, and it gets worse. It’s just like when a hitter’s in a slump. The worse you get, the harder you try.”

Scientifically, here’s what Gossage did wrong: Instead of going through a slow windup and building momentum for his pitches, he would whip his arm through his windup. Consequently, his release was worse.

Said Cisco: “I talk to him about taking time between pitches, taking a second or two or even five seconds. It gives you a little better chance to think where your next pitch should be.”

So he took his time, and in no time the game was over. Dernier grounded out to end it.

And then it was Andy Hawkins’ turn to stand up, for he had never been a happier man than this. He had started against Sutcliffe, significant in that the Padres had tried to sign Sutcliffe in the off-season, perhaps to take Hawkins’ place in the rotation.

And Hawkins, quite a sensitive man, had been a little offended. Sutcliffe had been saying today’s game was meaningless, that everyone had forgotten about last year’s playoffs. And maybe so. But Hawkins hadn’t forgotten about the free-agency playoffs.

“I thought about it,” he said. “This was a big game for me. I got pumped for it . . . “

Hawkins is 5-0 on the season and believes he’s a pitcher. Earlier in his career, Andy Hawkins was almost too sensitive, afraid to be aggressive against hitters.

“I can’t wait for every fifth day now,” Hawkins said. “I used to dread it.”

The Padres used to dread Sutcliffe, but they hit him in the fifth game of last year’s playoffs and did it again Friday afternoon.

Tim Flannery opened the game with a single, continuing to prove that maybe Alan Wiggins isn’t so important after all. Flannery got to second base when rookie Shawon Dunston missed the second base on a double-play ball. Dunston’s throw to first was late, and Tony Gwynn was safe.

Garvey then hit a Sutcliffe slider to right-center field that bounced to the ivy. Garvey, playing on a pulled left hamstring, ran quite slow, but came into third standing up.

Sutcliffe, regarding his slider, said: “I still don’t have the right release on it . . . It’s an important pitch to me. I don’t strike too many out without it.”

Still, Sutcliffe would have been in fine shape if he hadn’t given up the home run to Templeton, making the score 6-2. Templeton had been disgusted before this, since Pittsburgh pitchers had thrown him forkball after forkball, once eight times in a row. He said before the game that he longed for a fastball.

Sutcliffe gave him one.

So Sutcliffe lost for the first time ever at Wrigley Field, after 10 straight victories here. He was not overly saddened.

“You hate to lose anywhere,” he said.

And Garvey hates to be booed anywhere. Before the game, even though he’d had it out with the left field bleacher bums, a fan had given Terry Kennedy flowers, asking that they be passed on to Garvey. Still, once the game began, the entire crowd began its X-rated chant.

“That’s the first time in 15 years,” Garvey said. “I’ve had chants like that from sections, but never from a whole crowd.”

Kurt Bevacqua came by, winked, and said he started the chant.

“No really,” Garvey said. “I do have a good rapport with them. I got my flowers, my bag of cookies.”

Last year’s famous playoff homer in Game 4 probably was the reason for the boos, then.

“Oh sure,” he said.

And around the corner, Gossage was saying “phew.” But a save is a save is a save. He has seven now.

“We got one more run than they did,” he said, the heavy ice pack feeling light on his once burdened right shoulder. “We won. Remember that.”

Padre Notes

Infielder Mario Ramirez cleared waivers and will join the team today. Eddie Rodriguez rejoins Las Vegas to make room . . . Tony Gwynn had not gone more than two games without a hit since July 25, 1983. But the streak ended Friday. He hasn’t had a hit since his game winning homer last Sunday off of Fernando Valenzuela . . . Carmelo Martinez, who missed both games in Pittsburgh with a sore right elbow, returned to the lineup for Al Bumbry and went 1 for 4. Graig Nettles’ home run went to left field, a rare opposite field hit for him. Nettles on Sutcliffe: “He didn’t throw quite as hard as he did last year at times.”