Padres Get 5-4 Victory Over Mets : The Good News: They Won Despite Their Bad News Bears Act

The Padres reminded themselves of the Bad News Bears Tuesday night, but the good news was that they finally won a game, defeating the New York Mets, 5-4, in front of 25,196 at Shea Stadium.

Carmelo Martinez, who has stopped thinking about home runs, hit one in the sixth inning to put them ahead. And Goose Gossage, embarrassed 24 hours earlier, made Gary Carter look foolish with the game on the line in the ninth inning and earned his ninth save.

“We can’t win many games playing like that,” Tony Gwynn said. “Bad News Bears? That’s a perfect description. I was expecting them to turn on some music from Barnum and Bailey’s.”

In a swirling wind Tuesday night, the Padres let a routine infield pop fly fall in, committed four errors, used Andy Hawkins in relief for the first time since the World Series and buried a rookie, who had to be benched right in the middle of the game.

Still, the four-game losing streak ended.

Mark Thurmond started for the first time since May 24 and lasted over four innings, his longest stint since May 5. Steve Garvey hit his 12th homer in the second inning, and rookie Mark Wasinger followed with his first major league RBI, a suicide squeeze bunt with Martinez on third. The Padres led, 2-0.

But the Padres were working with a makeshift infield. Shortstop Garry Templeton (sciatic nerve) and third baseman Graig Nettles (hamstring) still were sidelined, so that left Jerry Royster at short and Wasinger at third.

And the Mets kept hitting the ball in the hole between them and cut the lead to 2-1.

“I kept inching further and further over in the hole,” Royster said. “Did no good.”

Finally, there came the fabulous fifth. The Mets scored three times on three Padre errors.

“Yeah, we played Bad News Bears ball in the fifth,” Royster said.

Mookie Wilson began it with an infield single to--where else--the hole between Royster and Wasinger. Kevin Mitchell followed with a single to left, and Wilson ran quickly to third and stopped. But wait. Martinez, expecting Wilson to go for home, charged the ball nervously and had it bounce off his glove (error No. 1). Wilson did run home, finally.

“That’s when the Bad News Bears stuff started,” Royster said. “That’s when the wolves started howling.”

Keith Hernandez then popped out, and Manager Steve Boros brought in Hawkins, who had pitched only 1 innings in his last start (a 16-5 loss to the Phillies on Sunday). Immediately, Mitchell tried stealing second, and catcher Terry Kennedy threw wide of second baseman Tim Flannery (error No. 2). Mitchell ran to third.

“That’s when we looked up and saw it was a full moon,” Royster said.

Carter then grounded a ball slowly, slowly--right in between Royster and Flannery, who nearly collided. Mitchell scored.

“Before, the wolves were howling,” Royster said. “But that’s when the wolves appeared.”

Next, George Foster singled, moving Carter to third. Then, Ray Knight hit a popup to the left side. Wasinger ran under it and called for it, but the ball missed his glove (error No. 3). Carter scored, though Knight was still thrown out to end the inning when he’d rounded too far off first. The Mets led, 4-2.

“That’s when we started running,” Royster said. “We had to get away from the wolves. We were Bad News Bears!”

Gwynn: “That inning? I could’ve gone down there and kicked the scoreboard down.”

Wasinger--who was called up from Las Vegas last week when Bip Roberts went on the disabled list--already had botched a grounder before the popup, and Boros had no choice but to take him out. He was replaced with Dane Iorg.

Wasinger, who won’t play today, will likely go back to the minors Thursday when Roberts is activated.

“I felt I had to get him out of there,” Boros said. “Hopefully, Mark will be back in the big leagues playing again someday.”

Wasinger on the popup: “The wind was swirling, but I’ve caught balls like that hundreds of times, thousands of times.”

Wasinger on his stint in the majors: “I got my opportunity and didn’t play well.”

Still, an inning later, Gwynn singled and scored on Kevin McReynolds’ wind-blown double. Then, Martinez hit his first home run in a month (since May 3). It was his first non-solo homer of the year and brought his RBI total to just eight. Funny, but he nearly struck out. With two strikes, he checked his swing, and first base ump Bruce Froemming said he didn’t go all the way around.

Next pitch from Sid Fernandez: Home run.

“I wasn’t trying for a home run,” he said. “I don’t try, period. I want line drives. If home runs come, fine.”

Gossage--who had walked three and given up four runs in relief here Monday--came on in the eighth with a man on first and no outs. He gave up a hit, but escaped. In the ninth, Wilson got to second with one out, but Mitchell struck out. Gossage walked Hernandez and faced Carter, who was 1 for 8 lifetime versus Goose with four strikeouts.

It got scary. With two strikes, one of Gossage’s sliders skipped by Kennedy, and Wilson ran to third. Kennedy dived for the ball near the backstop, fearing Wilson would try for home. He didn’t. Carter then was expecting fastball, but Gossage fooled him, tossing a wicked slider.

A strikeout.

A victory.

Padre Notes

Pitcher LaMarr Hoyt met with baseball Commissioner Peter Ueberroth Tuesday morning and then asked Manager Steve Boros if he could go home to South Carolina to tend to what Boros called “personal business.” Boros said Hoyt, who pitched Monday night, would return to the team Thursday. “I can’t tell you why he left the team,” Boros said. “But when I heard the reason he was going home, I was pleased. It’s a positive thing.”