Booker Keeps Date With Braves, Gets Same Result in Padres Win

If reliever Greg Booker is still playing for the San Diego Padres on Sept. 23, 1988, and if the Padres are playing Atlanta that day, maybe he’ll gain his third major-league victory.

On Sept. 23, 1984, Booker won his first game in the major leagues, a 2-1 victory over the Braves.

Tuesday, two years later to the date, he got his second win as the Padres defeated the Braves 5-2.

His second victory was an easy won for Booker, who pitched only one inning. In that inning, the sixth, he allowed one hit and struck out one.

In the seventh, Terry Kennedy pinch hit for Booker, getting a two-run single to cap a three-run inning.

If content with one win every two years, Kennedy is not content with one at-bat per game.

“I’ve always been a good hitter, so there’s no reason why I can’t be a good pinch hitter,” Kennedy said. “But I don’t want to be a pinch hitter. I like to get more than one chance a game. I certainly don’t want to be labelled a pinch hitter.”

The Padres trailed by a run when John Kruk led off the seventh with a single against Jim Acker, 3-6. Kruk went to second one out later when Tim Pyznarski was hit by a pitch, and scored the tying run on a double by Randy Asadoor.

Another out later, Kennedy pinch hitting for Booker, 1-0, singled to right, scoring Pyznarski and Asadoor.

Booker, in relief of starter Ed Vosberg, pitched only the inning. Lefferts went two innings in relief to set a San Diego club record with his 79th appearance of the season. Lance McCullers pitched the ninth inning for his fourth save.

San Diego added a run in the eighth after Tony Gwynn singled and stole his career high 34th base and 13th in a row. Gwynn went to third on a wild pitch and scored on a Kruk’s second sacrifice fly of the game.

The Braves took a 2-0 lead against Vosberg in the second after Albert Hall led off with a single. He went to second on a balk by Vosberg and scored when Brad Komminsk singled. Komminsk advanced to second when Bob Horner walked an out later, and scored on a single by Terry Harper.

The Padres got a run in the fourth without benefit of a hit and scored before they had an official at-bat. Bip Roberts led off with a walk, was sacrificed to second by Gwynn, stole third and, after a walk to Kevin McReynolds, scored on a sacrifice fly by Kruk.