Tired Gossage Fades in 9th as Padres Lose : Not Even the Cubs’ Mr. Christmas Could Give This Ballgame Away

Their first baseman was named Steve Christmas, so it figured.

The Chicago Cubs tried giving one away Monday night.

They committed five errors and misjudged fly balls and miscommunicated on pop-ups. Their regular third baseman, Ron Cey, had a bum wrist and didn’t play. Their regular shortstop, Shawon Dunston, got spiked in the wrist, and he left early. Their regular first baseman, Leon Durham, was on his way back East because his younger brother had died earlier in the day.

Pretty sad.

But then they got happy.

A tired Goose Gossage gave up a two-run ninth inning double to Rob Dernier--a .152 hitter--and the Cubs won, 4-3. “That’s what brings 30,000 people out to the park,” Cub Manager Jim Frey said. “No one ever knows what will happen in this game.”

The Padres’ rally failed in the bottom of the ninth off reliever Jay Ballary. With two outs, Tim Flannery walked.

Bip Roberts ran for him.

Roberts stole second (his first major league steal), and when catcher Jody Davis’ throw sailed high, he sprinted to third.

Dane Iorg popped out to the shortstop, Chris Speier.

Andy Hawkins started strong for the Padres. Through four innings, he had a no-hitter. Through six innings, he had a one-hitter. Through six innings, the Padres led, 3-0. But he walked Davey Lopes to begin the seventh, and after Lopes stole second and went to third on Hawkins’ wild pitch, Ryne Sandberg singled him in.

In came Craig Lefferts.

And then in came Tim Stoddard.

Stoddard got out of the inning, but his first pitch to Dernier in the eighth was hit for a homer.

It was 3-2.

In came Gossage, who got out of the eighth, but did not get out of the ninth.

Keith Moreland opened with a single, and with one out, Davis singled Moreland to third. Dernier then ripped one to right-center. Marvell Wynne, the center fielder, slipped as he fielded it and then threw low to the cut-off man, Flannery. (Wynne was given an error.) Two runs came in.

“I didn’t want to have to use Goose tonight,” Padre Manager Steve Boros said. “He has to be tired . . . But we needed him, and he gave everything he had.”

And those crazy Cubs. They managed to play a good game Sunday in the swirling wind of Wrigly Field, but they came to the San Diego calm and started flubbing things up.

First inning: Padre leadoff man Wynne blooped a ball to left. Left fielder Thad Bosley faded back as if it were a home run ball, but suddenly realized it was dropping quickly.

He couldn’t catch up. Wynne had a single.

Then, the Padres’ No. 3 hitter, Steve Garvey, popped a ball up near the plate. Catcher Davis came over. Third baseman Lopes came over. Starting pitcher Scott Sanderson came over.

The ball fell in front of them.

No one called it.

Later, Wynne stole second, and then Sanderson tried picking him off. The ball bounced into center field and Wynne took third, although he was eventually stranded there.

Second inning: With one out, John Kruk grounded a single to center and then stole his first major league base. Garry Templeton struck out, and Flannery was walked intentionally. So it was up to pitcher Hawkins.

He hit one hard down to third, and Lopes didn’t get down for it. The ball scooted past. Kruk came around to score, but Hawkins somehow got caught in a rundown because he had sprinted too far around first. Flannery, watching all this, tried to sneak home, but he was out at the plate in a brave collision.

On Sunday, Flannery had cut his left index finger tagging out San Francisco’s Bob Brenly, and it had been bloody. But he played on, even crashing into the plate a day later.

“A normal man would be on the 21-day DL (disabled list),” Flannery said of his finger injury.

He winked.

The Cubs have been hitting like very normal men these days. Their team batting average is only .237, and their record before Monday was 6-9.

“A base hit here and there, and we could be 9-6 just as easy,” Frey said.

Frey went on: “When you don’t hit, one of the things people say about you is that you’re flat. I had a baseball man tell me last night on the phone that he’d seen the Cardinals play last week, and they had looked flat.

“Now, we’re talking about a team that was a couple outs from being World Champs in October, and they’ve got probably the fastest group of runners ever put together on one team, and people think they’re flat? That (“flat”) is the most overused expression. They’re just in a period where they’re not hitting. Of course you’ll look flat if you don’t get any baserunners. People say they’re not aggressive. Try getting four (bleeping) hits a day and see how aggressive you are. You can’t be too (bleeping) aggressive. And that’s what we were going through a week ago.”

Padre Notes Dane Iorg’s World Series ring came in the mail Monday from Kansas City. He opened it up and there were a lot of oohs and aahs. It was big and blue. Too huge to wear? “If I put it on (in public) I’d always have to answer questions,” Iorg said. “But it’s fun to have.” . . . For the first time since April 20, Lance McCullers threw the ball hard. During batting practice, he was in the bullpen wearing out Bruce Bochy’s catcher’s mitt, so the Padres concluded that he is healed. Back on the 20th, he had pulled a muscle in his lower left rib cage, but Manager Steve Boros said Monday: “He should be ready today or tomorrow or the next day. He’s close.”. . . Outfielder Carmelo Martinez had a bone scan done of his left knee, and tendinitis was discovered. It’s something he can play with, however. Said Boros: “He’ll continue with therapy.” Martinez: “I hate it because I’ve never been hurt before. . . . I don’t know what to say. It’s not cracked or anything, thank goodness.” Martinez is expected back in the lineup Wednesday against St. Louis left-hander Ricky Horton. . . . Kevin McReynolds, who was rested Monday night because of a batting slump, spent a portion of his Monday looking at game films. McReynolds is 5 for his last 37, and he struck out three times Sunday, so batting coach Deacon Jones had him come in and see old tapes of when he was swinging good. Then, McReynolds was ordered out for extra batting practice. Later, Boros was talking to Cub Manager Jim Frey, but said, “Excuse me, I’ve got to see this,” when McReynolds stepped into the cage. And McReynolds was ripping them--line drives, home runs. When McReynolds was done, Boros said, smiling: “I don’t care how impressive you were McReynolds, you’re still sitting tonight. But stay ready. Stay away from those hot dogs.” McReynolds’ response: “Then, I better stay away from (John) Kruk”. . . . Kruk, a rookie, takes his share of ribbing. On Sunday, he was the Padre leadoff man, and teammates thought it was funny because he isn’t known much for his speed. Asked Monday when he had last led off, Kruk said: “Yesterday.” See, it was his first time. But he defended himself. “Hey, I scored from first on a dinger.” . . . Before Monday’s game, stadium maintenance men destroyed a bee hive in the upper deck. They used some sort of spray. But a few bees escaped and came buzzing down for batting practice. This disturbed some Padres, who were buzzing about the inconvenience. Marvell Wynne said a bunch of the bees were hanging out in center field.