Advertisement

Padres Win in 14th, 8-7 : Kruk Drives in Run to Beat the Dodgers After Trailing, 5-0

Share via
Times Staff Writer

John Kruk singled home Tim Flannery from second with two out in the 14th inning Saturday as the Padres edged the Dodgers, 8-7, at Dodger Stadium.

Flannery opened the inning with a single and Tony Gwynn followed with an infield single, his fourth hit of the game. Kevin McReynolds and Lance McCullers struck out. Kruk singled off Alejandro Pena.

The Dodgers blew a 5-0 lead and committed six errors, but they also scored a run in the bottom of the 11th off Goose Gossage on Bill Russell’s sacrifice fly to tie the score, 7-7.

Advertisement

The Padres took a 7-6 lead in the top of the 11th. Tony Gwynn singled to start the inning. He tried to steal second but went all the way to third on a throwing error by catcher Alex Trevino. Gwynn scored on McReynolds’ bloop double. The Dodgers had led, 1-0, but were then given four unearned runs by the Padres in the sixth inning.

Steve Sax, who reached base four times Saturday, led off the sixth with a grounder to shortstop Garry Templeton, who booted it. After Franklin Stubbs flied out, Sax took off for second base. It just so happened that Andy Hawkins picked this moment to throw a wild pitch, and Sax ended up on third.

With the infield in, Bill Madlock knocked Sax in with a double.

Later, Alex Trevino knocked in two runs with with a ground-rule double that McReynolds misjudged in center. McReynolds initially charged the ball, but it flew over his head.

Advertisement

Funny, but the first Dodger run came in when Carmelo Martinez also misjudged a ball in the outfield.

So it was 5-0 for starter Jerry Reuss, who hadn’t started since June 7. Reuss’ first inning was his worst. He hit Gwynn, gave up a single to Steve Garvey and walked Martinez on four pitches to load the bases.

But Graig Nettles, the hottest Padre hitter, popped up to Trevino, who almost misjudged it, but managed to catch it.

Advertisement

After that, it was quiet-- McReynolds hit a bloop triple to the right-field corner in the third (he was stranded) and Andy Hawkins got a single in the fifth.

Then came the seventh inning, the Dodgers still holding a 5-0 lead.

Templeton, leading off, grounded to third baseman Madlock, who moved nicely to his left to grab it, but threw too far to first baseman’s Len Matuszek’s right for an error. Templeton stopped at second.

Next, Bruce Bochy grounded another one to Madlock, who didn’t have to move an inch. His throw was right on, too, but Matuszek dropped it. Reuss got pinch-hitter Jerry Royster to pop out, but rookie Bip Roberts--0-for-28 this year against the Dodgers--singled to left to load the bases.

With the league’s leading hitter, Tony Gwynn, coming up, out came Lasorda to get Reuss. The crowd booed. Lasorda waved for Ed Vande Berg. The crowd booed. Lasorda left for the dugout. The crowd booed.

Gwynn singled in a run.

Out came Lasorda to get Vande Berg. The crowd booed. Lasorda waved for Tom Niedenfuer. The crowd booed. Vande Berg and Lasorda left. The crowd booed.

McReynolds popped out on Niedenfuer’s first pitch, but Garvey followed with a two-run single to make it 5-3.

Advertisement

Martinez popped out to finally end the inning, but now the Padres were fortunate enough to be facing the Dodger bullpen. It was Reuss’ second-longest outing of the year (6 innings), and, considering he’d had to sit and watch for two weeks, giving up three runs wasn’t too bad.

With a bunch of off days, the Dodgers were able to get by with a four-man rotation, so Reuss hadn’t started in two weeks.

“But in the past, he’s missed a lot of days and gone out and thrown nine innings with great control,” pitching coach Ron Perranoski had said before Saturday’s game.

Perranoski then peered at his calendar and counted all the off-days for the next couple of months.

“Gee,” he said, “with all the off-days we have coming up, Reuss will get 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 starts between now and Aug. 5th. After that, it all depends.”

Padre Notes Joey Cora, the Padres’ No. 1 draft choice in 1985 was stabbed in the abdomen while waiting for a bus Saturday night in San Antonio. He was operated on late Saturday night and his status was not known. Cora plays for the Beaumont, the Padres’ Double-A team. . . . With regular shortstop Mariano Duncan watching with a sore ankle, Dave Anderson--Duncan’s replacement--injured his right pinky Saturday night. Attempting a bunt in the third inning, the ball hit him in the pinky. It was later found to be a fracture, and Anderson was placed on the 21-day disabled list, effective today. Joining Anderson was first baseman Greg Brock, who also was placed on the 21-day list (left knee), retroactive to June 19. The Dodgers announced they were recalling outfielder/infielder Ed Amelung from Albuquerque (.258, 2 homers, 14 RBIs in 26 games) and purchasing the contract of Albuquerque infielder Craig Shipley, a 6-foot-4-inch switch-hitter (.308, 0 homers, 10 RBIs in 36 games this year). Both are expected to be available to play today. . . . More on the Padre beer ban--They’re allowed to drink as much as they want here at Dodger Stadium. Padre president Ballard Smith said he instituted the ban in San Diego’s stadium for insurance purposes, but it applies only at home. . . . Coming into Saturday’s game, Padre rookie Bip Roberts was 0 for 25 this year against the Dodgers with only one ball hit out of the infield. “For some reason, the Dodgers have his number,” San Diego Manager Steve Boros said. “Against them, he’s been facing a lot of left-handers, which has made him hit right-handed. He’s better hitting lefty.” . . . Boros said he just paid his first fine as a major league manager--$200 after being ejected June 6 by umpire Charlie Williams. Williams had tossed San Diego’s Steve Garvey the previous night for arguing about a close play at the plate. The next night, Boros brought Williams a video tape of the play, and Williams threw him out, too. Word is that umpires around the league were surprised at Boros--a Mr. Nice Guy--for trying to show up Williams. Before Friday’s game here, umpire Ed Montague told him: “Listen, if you’re gonna bring a video tape up, I’d like to have Jack Nicklaus’ golf tips.” Boros was last ejected in 1971 during a minor league game in Iowa. “Yeah, every 15 years, I go bananas,” Boros said.

Advertisement
Advertisement