Padres Are Looking More Like Pirates

Dick Williams left the Padre clubhouse wearing a Pittsburgh Pirate roll-up hat, which could mean he has Pirate Fever, not exactly a favorable disease to contract.

Alas, it seems the Padres have caught it, though. Pittsburgh is in last place in the National League East, and the Padres are beginning to look more and more like those Pirates every day.

Friday night, San Diego blew a two-run lead in the 12th. Saturday night, the Padres scored three runs in the ninth to tie it, but Craig Lefferts then gave up three two-out hits, the last one an infield single by Marvelous Marvell Wynne that scored Sammy Khalifa. The Pirates had won, 8-7.

And although there’s no real reason to panic (the Padres get to leave here tomorrow night), San Diego players did leave Three Rivers Stadium genuinely concerned Saturday night, as the Dodgers suddenly crept to within three games of their National League West lead.

“I don’t know how many more ways we’ll find to lose,” Tony Gwynn said afterward. “There were two outs in the bottom of the ninth . . . It’s not as frustrating as last night, but we scored three times in the ninth and came back to lose. I don’t know what else to say.”

How about just saying it was weird?

“Oh, I don’t know about that,” said Pittsburgh Manager Chuck Tanner, who has had Pirate Fever for years. “I thought it was great. This is baseball. When there are balls flying all over the lot, a lot of things happen. That’s not weird, that’s baseball. If those guys are all robots, then you can call it weird. But those guys are human beings, so that’s baseball.

“No two games are ever alike in baseball. That’s why it’s the best game in the world.”

Whatever. But things were a little looney. The Padres had trailed only 5-4 after a two-run sixth, but the Pirates scored single runs in the seventh and eighth.

Here’s how: In the seventh, with Jason Thompson on first and one out, Steve Kemp, who earlier hit his first homer of the season off starter Andy Hawkins, lined a ball hard to right. Gwynn came running in and seemingly made a shoe-string catch. Thompson, who had started toward second, ran back to first as Gwynn threw to first for the double play. Third base umpire Randy Marsh made the out signal, and Gwynn had thought the inning was over.

But actually it had been ruled that Gwynn had not caught the ball. He came charging in to find out why. First base umpire Charlie Williams and Marsh met and eventually ruled that Gwynn hadn’t made the catch and that his throw had actually beat Kemp to first base, and that Thompson was safe at first.

That meant Kemp had grounded out to right field.

Now, Mark Thurmond, who had relieved Hawkins in the sixth, gave up a double to Jim Morrison on the very next pitch. Thompson scored. Morrison, who has been booed here for saying Pirate fans don’t deserve a baseball team, actually was cheered.

In the eighth, with Lefferts pitching, Thompson hit a two-out single up the middle. It should be noted that it was Thompson’s 31st birthday, and he’s hitting .500 (14 for 28) on his nine major league birthdays. Saturday, he was 2 for 2 with two runs, three walks and two RBIs.

“I don’t know why,” Thompson said of his birthday prowess. “I guess I want to do good on my birthday. I hit a home run last year, and I’ve had four or five homers overall. I guess it’s a day you’re supposed to feel good.”

So the Padres trailed 7-4 entering the ninth, and Al Holland, who had relieved starter Larry McWilliams in the fifth, was on the mound. But Gwynn walked and Steve Garvey (7 for 11 the last two days) doubled down the left-field line, moving Gwynn to third.

John Candelaria, the Pirates’ best pitcher, entered to face Kurt Bevacqua, who had started at third base. Bevacqua hit the first pitch off the wall in right center to drive in two runs. Carmelo Martinez and Kevin McReynolds failed to advance Bevacqua, so it was up to catcher Bruce Bochy.

On a 2-and-2 pitch, he singled to left, tying the game. Bochy is 6 for 11 in his last five games with six runs, two home runs and four RBIs.

“I’ve been going real good, and I wanted good, hard contact,” Bochy said. “But to me, Candelaria is the best left-hander in the league.”

Said Tanner: “Hey, if I could pick one pitcher for the game of my life, I’d pick Candelaria. He gave up those runs? That happens. It happened to Koufax. Every man in the Hall of Fame has given up a hit.”

In the bottom of the ninth, Lefferts retired Joe Orsulak and Morrison (more boos), but Khalifa singled up the middle, and pinch-hitter Sixto Lezcano hit a broken bat single to left. Khalifa, age 21, reached third with a head-first slide, and Lezcano took second on the throw.

Next up was Wynne, who grounded weakly toward the left side of the infield, but in the hole between Garry Templeton and Bevacqua. Templeton fielded it, but his throw was late, and Khafila had scored the winning run.

The Padre clubhouse was quiet. Hawkins, who gave up 10 hits and five runs in five innings, is still 11-2, and has gone for victory No. 12 five times.

“I still have the same approach, but the ball is bouncing funny sometimes,” he said. “I’m trying (to pitch the same as before). I’m not sure if I am or not.”

And the loser Lefferts, a cigarette in his hand, said: “The last two hits were broken bats. There were four ground-ball base hits. I went out and got the ground balls. They scored and they won. It’s frustrating.”

Expect more of the same today. It’s Sunglasses Day here, and the forecast is for cloudy skies.

Weird or what?

Padre Notes

There was a 36-minute rain delay in the first inning Saturday night. . . . Aftermath of Friday night’s 12-inning, rain-delayed game that ended after midnight with the Pirates winning, 5-4: Steve Garvey said, “It had the qualities of a P.T. Barnum classic.” Pittsburgh’s Doug Frobel said, “I knew how long we were out there. We were out there so long that I got in the game.” Pittsburgh Manager Chuck Tanner said, “Weird? I liked it.” . . . Also on Friday, Garry Templeton, who had had four RBIs Thursday, tied Roger Maris’ major league record for most intentional walks in a game (four). Said Templeton: “It shows they wouldn’t give me a chance to beat them like the other day.” Said Tanner: “That tied a record? If I’d known it, I would’ve walked him again. No, I’m kidding.” . . . The Padres will finish that suspended Chicago Cub game (May 5) on Monday in Chicago. The Cubs lead 4-2 entering the seventh inning.

PADRES AT A GLANCE

FIRST INNING Padres--Royster singled to center. Gwynn forced Royster. Garvey singled to right, Gwynn stopping at second. Bevacqua walked, loading the bases. Martinez popped to first. McReynolds singled to left, Gwynn and Garvey scoring, Bevacqua stopping at second. Bochy grounded to shortstop. Two runs, three hits, two left.

SECOND INNING Pirates--Thompson walked. Hendrick doubled to left, Thompson taking third. Kemp popped to the catcher. Morrison popped to shortstop. Khalifa was walked intentionally, loading the bases. McWilliams singled to right, Thompson scoring with Hendrick being thrown out at the plate. One run, two hits.

THIRD INNING Pirates--With two outs, Madlock doubled to left. Thompson doubled to right-center, Madlock scoring. Hendrick grounded to first. One run, two hits, one left.

FOURTH INNING Pirates--Kemp homered to right, his first. Morrison flied to center. Khalifa flied to right. McWilliams struck out. One run, one hit, none left.

FIFTH INNING Pirates--Wynne tripled to right-center. Pena singled to right, Wynne scoring. Madlock doubled to left-center, with Pena being thrown out at the plate. Thompson was walked intentionally. Hendrick singled to center to load the bases. Kemp flied out to left. Morrison singled to left, Madlock scoring. Khalifa grounded to third. Two runs, five hits, three left.

SIXTH INNING Padres--Martinez doubled to left. McReynolds flied to center, Martinez taking third. Bochy singled to center, Martinez scoring. Templeton singled to right, Bochy stopping at second. Brown, batting for Hawkins, singled to center, Bochy scoring, Templeton stopping at second. Holland replaced McWilliams. Royster flied to center. Gwynn forced Brown. Two runs, four hits, two left.

SEVENTH INNING Pirates--With Thurmond pitching, Thompson walked. Hendrick flied to left. Kemp grounded out to the right fielder, Thompson holding at first. Morrison doubled to left, Thompson scoring. Khalifa was walked intentionally. Holland struck out. One run, one hit, one left.

EIGHTH INNING Pirates--Lefferts took the mound. With two outs, Madlock singled to left. Madlock stole second. Thompson singled to center, Madlock scoring. Hendrick struck out. One run, two hits, one left.

NINTH INNING Padres--Gwynn walked. Garvey doubled down the third-base line, Gwynn stopping at third. Candelaria replaced Holland. Bevacqua doubled to right-center, Gwynn and Garvey scoring. Martinez grounded to shortstop. McReynolds struck out. Bochy singled to left, Bevacqua scoring. Bumbry ran for Bochy. Templeton forced Bumbry. Three runs, three hits, one left.

Pirates--With two outs, Khalifa singled to center. Lezcano, batting for Candelaria, singled to left, Khalifa taking third, Lezcano taking second on the throw. Wynne reached on an infield single, Khalifa scoring. One run, three hits.