Another Game is Going, Gone for Padres

Up to the plate walked Bruce Bochy, not Bruce Springsteen. But you just weren’t sure Tuesday night. As he took his warmup swings, the fans in San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium erupted in a “Bruce . . . Bruce . . . Bruce” chant. And Bochy, never before regarded in the same company as The Boss, thought it was neat.

But with two outs and two men on in the eighth, Bochy, who had homered two innings earlier, struck out. Again, the fans here, who were teased all night long by alleged Padre rallies, booed, seemingly at a loss of patience.

When the game finally ended, and the Reds had left with a 3-2 victory, the fans who stuck around to wait out the traffic were got to watch the Dodger-Brave game on the big-screen television. The Braves held a one-run lead, but suddenly Mike Marshall hit one with a man on. It was going, going, going, gone.

More booing.

The Padres trailed the Dodgers by eight full games.

A horrifying night.

It began in the fourth when starter and loser LaMarr Hoyt (13-7 but 0-3 since his All-Star victory) unexplicably lost his touch. In the second inning, he’d retired the Reds on nine pitches (all of which were strikes), and avid Hoyt watchers figured Hoyt was hot, for if he has trouble, it’s usually early. But in that fourth, Dave Parker hit his first pitch over the center-field fence, a home run that traveled approximately 410 feet (the sign in center says 405 feet).

Next, Nick Esasky singled sharply to left. Then, Buddy Bell singled to left. After Bo Diaz struck out, Esasky and Bell had been running on a pitch to Ron Oester, and Oester hit the ball right to second baseman Jerry Royster. But where was Royster? He was covering second base and the ball rolled through the infield. Esasky scored, and Bell stood on third.

Tom Browning, the Reds’ pitcher (10-9), then bunted down the third-base line, and Bell came running in behind Bevacqua, who was charging the ball. Bevacqua fielded it but never tossed it home. Instead, he threw to first.

Royster, seeing that Bell was about to score, didn’t step on first, but immediately tossed the ball home. Bell was safe. Browning was safe. And Oester, amid the commotion, walked to third base.

Boos.

It was 3-0.

Bevacqua was heckled viciously when he approached the plate the next inning, all because of the supposed bone-head play he’d made. Surrounded by media afterward, he cursed and said, “If you think I’m going to comment on that bunt, you can go on home.”

Of the fans’ booing, he said, “They don’t know the situation.”

And they did not. Bochy, who had given regular catcher Terry Kennedy the night off, explained: “My first call (to Bevacqua) was to go to first. But I saw Bell creeping in and yelled. But he was already in his motion to first.”

Meanwhile, Browning was cruising along, striking out Royster and striking out Garry Templeton and striking out Royster again and striking out Carmelo Martinez, although Martinez ended up with three hits. Eventually, Browning had eight strike outs, his career high.

But, in many ways, he was quite lucky.

Alleged Padre Rally No. 1--In the fourth, trailing 3-0, Bevacqua doubled down the left-field line (this was after he was booed). Martinez singled to left, Bevacqua holding up at third. Royster struck out for the second out, but Bochy walked to load the bases.

Manager Dick Williams sent in Kevin McReynolds, who’s been replaced in center field by Miguel Dilone.

McReynolds, who hasn’t had an at-bat since Aug. 4, struck out on three pitches.

Boos.

“He had a chance to get in there and make some points tonight,” said Williams, who doesn’t want to take Dilone out since the Padres had won three of four with him starting. “And it didn’t work out.”

Will McReynolds, who is hitting .228, be back in the lineup tonight?

“I’ll sleep on it,” Williams said.

Meanwhile, McReynolds, on the subject of his benching, had said before the game, “It’s a little game (by Williams), I guess. He’ll play the power game to show who’s boss. Well, I’ll give him a little time to play. I may walk in at any minute and say something, I don’t know. Am I mad? That’d be too satisfying to him. He’s tried to play Mr. Macho (before). You know, ‘I run the team’ stuff. It’s a little game with him.

“It’s a big deal, but it won’t get to me. If you’ve ever heard the word ‘frontrunner,’ that’s where he sits. If you look at his past, that’s the way it’s been.”

Alleged Padre Rally No. 2--Dilone led off the seventh with a walk, and Reds Manager Pete Rose replaced Browning with reliever John Franco. After Templeton struck out, Dilone began his steal of second with Tony Gwynn batting, but was instead caught in a rundown.

Boos.

Alleged Padre Rally No. 3--Bevacqua singled with one out in the eighth. Al Bumbry pinch-ran. Then Martinez singled, and Bumbry made it to third. Royster popped to shallow right, and Bumbry couldn’t tag and score.

It was up to Bochy.

Seconds later, more boos.

Has The Boss ever been booed?

Padre Notes

Reds Player-Manager Pete Rose singled sharply to right-center in the fifth inning, bringing him within 20 of the all-time hit record. Naturally, the ball was rolled to the Red dugout. And from there, it will be dated, numbered and mailed back to Cincinnati, where all such baseballs are being preserved for historic purposes. . . . Jack McKeon, Padre general manager, apparently was unable to complete a worthwhile trade for another reliever. The reason, in essence, is this--When he came to San Diego, he unloaded some veteran players for younger players with the intention of building a solid foundation. Now, he finds himself being offered those same types of veterans, but says he’d prefer not to part with his youngsters. So he stands pat. “I’d rather bring kids up,” he said. “To me, this is not a one-year shot (for the pennant). We’re building for a number of years” . . . A little history: McKeon, when he arrived here in 1980, said he figured he could have the Padres in the World Series by 1985. He did it in 1984, while 1985 is still pending.