Padres Win, Spoil the Party for Stanley Cup

The Padres must have played pretty well Wednesday night because several Montreal Canadians came by afterward and plopped down the Stanley Cup.

“Thanks for bringing it to me, guys!” Tim Flannery bellowed.

On a night that the Canadians were honored here at Olympic Stadium as champions of the hockey world, it was the Expos who seemed to be playing on ice. LaMarr Hoyt had a shutout going until two outs in the ninth, and Terry Kennedy, Steve Garvey, Carmelo Martinez, Jerry Royster and Kevin McReynolds provided the offense in a 10-1 San Diego victory.

The 21,342 people here spent more time screaming for the Canadians, though Expo second baseman Vance Law got quite a roar when he came in to pitch the ninth.

He set ‘em down, 1-2-3, throwing sinkers, fastballs and changeups--real major league stuff.

“The most embarrassed I’ve ever been,” said Tony Gwynn, who grounded out against Law. “You gotta go up and face a guy who played second base earlier in the night, and he comes out and throws better stuff than anyone else who has pitched that night. And then I make an out. It’s embarrassing. . . . I had to get ridden by all the guys when I came in. . . . I was psyched out. I was out before I even went up there.”

Montreal Manager Buck Rodgers said: “I did it (sent Law out there) for three reasons. One, to save an arm in the bullpen. Uh, I can’t think of the other two reasons.

“No, Vance has always wanted to throw, and he was bugging me. And when you’re getting the (bleep) kicked out of you, it’s better to finish the night on a high. We did. Vance Law will get more press than LaMarr Hoyt.”

But Hoyt’s performance was newsworthy. He went farther than at any time this season, and the Padres are overjoyed to have the real Hoyt back.

“Tonight, I felt I had overpowering stuff,” Hoyt said.

Here’s what he means:

- It’s the second inning, the Padres leading 3-0 after Kennedy’s three run homer to center. But big deal. The Padres had led 5-1 on Monday night and blew it, and they led 4-0 Tuesday night and blew it. This time, the Expos had runners on first and third with two outs, and Tim Raines was up.

Hoyt struck him out looking.

“That’s basically as good as I can throw,” Hoyt said. “A low inside fastball.”

- It’s the third inning, the Padres leading 6-0 after Garvey’s two-run single and Martinez’ RBI single. But big deal. The Expos have a runner on first and another on second. Andres Galarraga is coming up.

Hoyt struck him out looking.

“A sinker,” Hoyt said.

It sank, all right. About two feet.

- It’s the fifth inning, the Padres leading 8-0 after McReynolds’ two-run double (actually Raines overran the ball in left). But big deal. The Expos have a man on second, one out. Tim Wallach is coming up, followed by Galarraga.

Hoyt got Wallach to ground out slowly to third.

Galarraga struck out on a sidearm breaking ball.

Hoyt was hot. Just after Royster had homered to make it 10-0 in the eighth, Manager Steve Boros asked Hoyt how he was hanging.

Hoyt said: “I’m hanging.”

Boros said: “Go get your shutout. But if you give up a run, you’re coming out. We need to give Lance (McCullers) some work.”

With two outs, Herm Winningham homered. McCullers wasn’t quite ready. Then, Wallach tripled. McCullers was ready.

“LaMarr was expecting my visit,” Boros said.

But no one expected Law to take the mound. He’s usually taking grounders or fly balls. He had played every position in the major leagues, except catcher and pitcher, and he had told this to Rodgers.

So with the score 10-0, in he went.

He was clocked at 86 m.p.h.

“That’s what I heard,” he said.

He hardly warmed up.

“Just about 10 or 12 pitches,” he said. “I didn’t know how many I was allowed.”

He had last pitched in 1977.

“For the Fairbanks, Alaska, Goldpanners,” he said. “I was a reliever. But that’s nine years ago.”

He won’t play catcher.

“Not unless somebody gets hurt,’ he said.

After he retired the side, he ran in and screamed to his teammates, “Let’s tie this thing up! I want to pitch again!”

They didn’t.

Padre Notes Carmelo Martinez started for the first time in more than 10 days against right-handed pitching. He went 3-for-4 and raised his average to .260. What’s the difference? “Maybe the boos (in San Diego). No, no, no. I’m just working hard every day at the park and forgetting about the fences. I go out and make contact. I’m not trying for home runs.” . . . One of the Montreal Candians lives in San Diego. His name is Chris Chelios. He visited the Padre clubhouse afterward and was enamored by Steve Garvey, Graig Nettles and Goose Gossage. Said Garvey: “Funny, but a lot of times I get mistaken for a hockey player here. I guess I look the part.” . . . Tony Gwynn was hit in the right knee by a pitch Wednesday. “I feel like a wounded animal,” he said. “My shin hurts, my knee hurts, and I can’t hit against a second baseman (Vance Law). I’m looking for better days.” . . . Not on Monday. Dwight Gooden is scheduled to start Monday against the Padres.

PADRES AT A GLANCE

Scorecard SECOND INNING

Padres--Garvey singled to left. Nettles walked. Martinez flied to right. Kennedy homered to center, his fourth. Royster grounded to second. Hoyt struck out. Three runs, two hits.

THIRD INNING

Padres--With one out, Gwynn singled to center. Gwynn stole second. McReynolds walked. Gwynn stole second, McReynolds stole third.. Garvey singled to center, Gwynn and McReynolds scoring. Roberge replaced Youmans. Nettles reached on first baseman Galarraga’s fielding error, Garvey stopping at third. Martinez beat out an infield single, Nettles out in a rundown at second, Garvey scoring. Kennedy struck out. Three runs (two unearned), three hits, one left.

FOURTH INNING

Padres--With two out, Flannery singled to center. Gwynn was hit by a pitch, Flannery taking second. McReynolds doubled over Raines’ head in left, Flannery and Gwynn scoring. Garvey flied to right. Two runs, two hits, one left.

EIGHTH INNING Padres--Parrett pitching. Martinez singled to left. Kennedy struck out. Royster homered to left, his first. Hoyt struck out. Flannery popped to left. Two runs, two hits.

NINTH INNING

Padres--With two out, Winningham homered, his third. Wallach tripled to right-center. McCullers replaced Hoyt. Bilardello struck out. One run, two hits, one left.