Bochy, McCullers Lead the Padres to 2-1 Win Over Cubs

What a night for two bullpen buddies.

Relief pitchers dream of pitching shutout ball in their first major league start.

Pinch-hitters dream of hitting two-out home runs to win games in the ninth inning.

Dreams came true for two Padres in San Diego’s 2-1 victory in front of 49,070 fans celebrating the Fourth of July at San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium Friday night.

With the scored tied, 1-1, and two out in the bottom of the ninth, reserve catcher Bruce Bochy pulled a low-inside pitch from reliever Ray Fontenot down the left-field line.

“The ball wasn’t really hit that well,” Bochy said. “I was surprised the ball went out. And that it stayed fair. Those balls usually hook. I didn’t know it was out till I was near second base.”

The ball was out, carrying directly over the 327-foot sign, which is very close to the Padre bullpen, where Bochy spent the first eight innings.

Then came Bochy’s trot in from the bullpen, which was followed by a trot around the bases.

A dream come true.

“With two out and nobody on, I was looking for something to pull and get up in the air,” Bochy said. “There aren’t too many times you go for a homer and hit one.”

Bochy also hit a pinch-hit homer to beat the Dodgers in 11 innings, 4-3, on April 14.

“Bochy has a knack for doing it,” Padre Manager Steve Boros said. “His makeup is just right for that kind of role. He is a calm and cool customer. Nothing much bothers him.”

Bochy rounded second and continued his triumphant trot around the bases. He was mobbed by his teammates at home plate and headed to the clubhouse, where he was greeted by Lance McCullers.

McCullers spent most of Friday night on the mound instead of tossing warmup pitches to Bochy in the bullpen.

McCullers made his first major league start after 58 relief appearances dating back to last August.

What a start it was, especially for someone who has never pitched more than 3 innings in a single stint.

The 22-year-old right-hander had a no-hitter for 4 innings and allowed just two hits in 6 shutout innings.

McCullers struck out four, walked just one and left the game with a 1-0 lead that Goose Gossage blew when he gave up a game-tying homer to Gary Matthews in the eighth.

“Starting was exciting and fun,” McCullers said. “It’s something I’ve always dreamed about. To start in the big leagues. . . . I think I did a good job for my first start.”

The fans agreed.

When McCullers left the game in the seventh, he received the same kind of ovation given to a scoreboard screening of the refurbished Statute of Liberty.

Both made new starts Friday. And both appear to have a bright future.

“He’ll be a great addition to our starting staff,” Padre catcher Terry Kennedy said.

McCullers was obviously nervous at start. He hit leadoff batter Davey Lopes and proceeded to commit a balk.

Jerry Mumphrey, the Cubs’ second hitter, lined a ball to center that Marvell Wynne misjudged but ended up catching when he made a backhanded stab on the run.

“That was a great catch and a very big play,” Boros said.

After McCullers got Ryne Sandberg to ground to first, the Cubs gave McCullers and the Padres a gift. With two out and a runner on third, cleanup hitter Keith Moreland popped a bunt to Kennedy.

Why bunt? Moreland is second on the Cubs in RBIs to Sandberg.

“There was nothing wrong with that if the cleanup hitter is a guy who can bunt,” Cub Manager Gene Michael said. “He (Moreland) can bunt. I didn’t knock that play.”

Having escaped the first inning, McCullers settled down to retire the next 10 hitters. He struck out four of them.

“After that first inning,” McCullers said, “I felt confident.”

The Padres gave McCullers a 1-0 lead in the second when Kennedy drove in Steve Garvey with a two-out single to right.

Kennedy entered the game with a .350 average (7 for 20) against Cub starter Ed Lynch, who was also making his first appearance for the Cubs. Lynch underwent surgery on his left knee in April, pitched in one game for the Mets and was acquired by the Cubs June 30.

Entering the fifth, McCullers had a 1-0 lead and a no-hitter. He hadn’t allowed the Cubs a hit in eight innings this season.

With one out in the sixth, Jody Davis hit a liner to right that Tony Gwynn almost caught at his shoetops. Almost. The sinking liner dropped in for a single.

“I wasn’t worried about the no-hitter,” McCullers said. “I knew I wouldn’t pitch the whole game.”

Matthews followed with a single, but McCullers induced Shawon Dunston to hit into a short-to-second-to-first double-play, with Dunston being called out at first on a close call.

In the seventh, McCullers walked Moreland and a threw one pitch (high) to Leon Durham when Boros decided to make a pitching change.

“He was getting the ball up,” Boros said.

McCullers had also thrown 81 pitches, which was six more than Boros planned to let him throw.

“He would have liked to stay out there,” Boros said.

But it was not his decision.

“I felt good and was kind of disappointed I had to come out,” McCullers said.

Craig Lefferts came in and retired two batters in the seventh. Boros brought in Gossage to start the eighth.

“Goose had plenty of rest and was strong enough to give us two innings,” Boros said. “He likes it better when it is a clean start of an inning.”

Gossage (who won his 100th game of his career) gave up a towering home run to Matthews on a 1-1 fastball that was belted over the right-center-field fence.

“I can’t say anything about that,” said McCullers, who heard the call on the radio while in the players cafeteria. “He (Goose) didn’t try to come in and give it up. Nine out of 10 times, he will come in and save the game. I know how he felt.”

Those bullpen buddies stick together. And win games.