Show Watches Again as Padres Lose Again

By now, it is no big deal for Eric Show to leave a game with a two-run lead in the ninth and have the reliever lose it for him on eight pitches. No biggie, he says. I’m used to it, he says.

Is he to be believed? Can any pitcher in his right mind not get angry about what happened here Saturday night? Because the above scenerio really took place. Show pitched a six-hitter through eight innings, gave up two singles in the ninth and was taken out for Craig Lefferts. The score was 3-1 with runners on first and second.

But Glenn Davis doubled in a run, and Kevin Bass was walked intentionally. The bases were loaded for Mark Bailey, a 23-year-old catcher who’d hit a grand slam off Lefferts earlier this season. Lefferts threw him a slider that was supposed to be inside, but instead it curved over the plate. Bailey’s hit rolled to the right-center field fence.

Astros 4, Padres 3.

San Diego is still in third place, six games behind the Dodgers and a percentage point behind the Reds.

“I was jumping up and down like a little kid,” Bailey said.

But Show just sat there. Next to him on the bench, catcher Terry Kennedy was throwing his mask, his shin guard, his chest protector. He was having your basic tantrum. But Show just sat there. He touched his chin with his fingertips. He sat there for another 30 seconds. He got up and walked inside.

Mario Ramirez patted him on the back.

Jerry Davis patted him on the back.

Tim Flannery patted him on the back.

Dave Dravecky patted him on the back.

Show’s record this season is 7-7. But he had led the Cardinals last week, 6-1, when he was taken out. His teammates committed three ninth-inning errors and lost. He complained he shouldn’t have been taken out. So Manager Dick Williams left him in too long during his next start on purpose, after he’d basically lost his stuff.

“It’s happened so much that I don’t think about it anymore,” he said. “But I could have . . . What’s a conservative guess? 13 wins? 14 wins? Who knows.”

At that moment, Carmelo Martinez came over to offer his condolences. Show ended up giving Martinez a pep talk.

“We’ll get ‘em next time,” he said to Martinez.

Jack McKeon, the Padre general manager walked in.

“Jack,” Show said. “I thought you said you brought your luck.”

“I did.”

“Why didn’t you play it?”

“I can’t do everything for you.”

“Jack, did you see those two hits (off Show in the ninth). That’s what I’m talking about, Jack. All year long. All year long.”

Those two hits were, perhaps, lucky. Before Show went out to pitch the bottom of the ninth, Williams asked Kennedy how he was throwing, and the catcher said he’d lost a little. He asked Show, too, who naturally said he was fine.

But was he? In the eighth, with Chris Jones on first, Bill Doran hit a shot to right-center, a ball that appeared to be a certain double. Jones took off. But Kevin McReynolds made a running catch, and Jones was doubled up at first. He had kept going, figuring McReynolds had no chance. When Steve Garvey stepped on first for the double play, he was crossing the plate.

Show got ahead, 0 and 2, to Jose Cruz, the first batter in the ninth, but he got his third pitch up, and Cruz hit it just over Garry Templeton’s glove at shortstop. Then, before Williams had a chance to get Lefferts in, Jerry Mumphrey was jammed but got the ball to roll by Templeton and third baseman Graig Nettles. Runners on first and second. Williams took Show out, and Show actually agreed with the decision.

“I can understand why he did it,” Show said. “Lefferts was well rested. Wasn’t he?”

Lefferts, who hadn’t pitched since July 31, is the Padres’ top reliever, with Goose Gossage injured.

“I came in and gave up two doubles,” Lefferts said. “What can I say? It’s a shame because Eric pitched a good game. I was excited to get a chance to finish a game.”

As it turned out, the winning pitcher was Charlie Kerfeld, who threw the top of the ninth in relief of Nolan Ryan and Jeff Calhoun. It’s unfortunate that David Letterman hasn’t seen Kerfeld pitch because this is the real tub of goo.

“He’s 274 pounds,” Astro Manager Bob Lillis said. “But I tell you what. He (Letterman) better not say anything about Charlie. Charlie’s mean.”

But Show wasn’t. Lefferts, after spending some time alone, went up to him and said he was sorry. Show basically said: No problem.

Would any pitcher in his right mind react this way?

“I guess I’m either brave or I’ve gone over the edge,” Show admitted.

Padre Notes

Steve Garvey’s sacrifice fly in the first inning scored Tim Flannery from third Saturday night, and the Padres had their first opening-inning run since July 6, a span of 23 games. Garvey later had another RBI, as did Flannery, to account for the Padres’ three runs. . . . Manager Dick Williams had to do his hour-long radio call-in show after the game, and when he was asked how it went, he said: “Some wanted to get rid of me, of course.”

PADRES AT A GLANCE

Scorecard FIRST INNING Padres--Flannery singled to center. Gwynn singled to center, Flannery taking third. Garvey flied to right, Flannery scoring. Nettles singled to center, Gwynn taking second. Kennedy struck out. Martinez struck out. One run, three hits, two left.

Astros--Doran singled to left. Doran was caught stealing. Reynolds singled to right. Walling singled to right, Reynolds taking third. Cruz singled to center, Reynolds scoring with Walling stopping at second. Mumphrey flied to right. Davis flied to left. One run, four hits, two left.

SECOND INNING Padres--McReynolds walked. Templeton flied to left. Show sacrificed. Flannery singled to center, McReynolds scoring. Gwynn singled to center, Flannery stopping at second. Garvey singled to center, Flannery scoring with Gwynn stopping at second. Nettles flied to center. Two runs, three hits, two left.

NINTH INNING Astros--Cruz singled to left. Mumphrey singled to left, Cruz stopping at second. Lefferts replaced Show. Davis doubled to left, Cruz scoring with Mumphrey taking third. Thon ran for Davis. Bass was walked intentionally. Bailey singled to right-center, Mumphrey and Thon scoring. Three runs, four hits.