Mistakes Cost Padres in 4-1 Loss to Cubs : Defeat is Fifth Straight and 20th of the Season

Creep Show 20--the Padres’ 20th loss of 1987--was the most horrifying yet. Infielder Joey Cora forgot to touch second base one time, and he was called out. First baseman John Kruk forgot his manners one time, and he was fined $100. Pitcher Andy Hawkins forgot to use his head one time, and the Chicago Cubs’ Leon Durham hit a very important RBI double.

“I don’t think we can get much lower than this,” Manager Larry Bowa said after Sunday’s 4-1 loss to the Cubs--the Padres’ fifth straight defeat.

Jack McKeon, the Padre general manager, had seen enough by Saturday. “I don’t have to watch this,” McKeon was heard saying, and he caught a plane to Las Vegas to watch a first-place team--the Triple-A Las Vegas Stars.

But Bowa had to stick around and see Sunday’s game, which had to be hazardous to his health. Bowa had two opportunities to be ejected--and get away from the mess out there--but he didn’t take advantage.

In the eighth inning, Cora was on first base when Tony Gwynn lined a base hit to left-center. But Cora--who had been running on the pitch--had no idea that the ball had fallen in. He rounded second, touching the bag, but Cub shortstop Manny Trillo looked skyward so Cora would think Gwynn had popped up. Cora fell for it and retreated across the second base bag to get back to first.

Then Cora realized what had happened. He started for third again, but this time he failed to touch second.

He made it to third, but the Cubs appealed, and Cora was called out.

Bowa ran out to argue with second base umpire Jim Quick, but he understood the ruling and wasn’t ejected.

“First of all, Joey made a mistake by not picking up the (third base) coach (Harry Dunlop),” Bowa said. “ . . . No one feels worse than Joey. I don’t think he’ll do it again. I’ll bet my salary he doesn’t make that mistake again.”

Kruk was the next hitter, and he struck out looking to end the inning. Kruk hurled his bat high in the air, and home plate umpire Charlie Williams said: “That’s 100 bucks.”

Kruk said: “What?”

Williams said: “That’s 100.”

Kruk said: “For what?”

Williams said: “Throwing your bat.”

Kruk said: “Charlie, what’s (your problem)?”

And before Williams could answer, Bowa was out there pointing a finger. But, again, he restrained himself. He merely told Williams that Kruk had been mad at himself for taking the third strike and the bat routine had nothing to do with Williams’ call. (Later, Kruk said he was angry at some of Williams’ calls).

Anyway, Bowa managed to keep cool--twice. He said later his team looked silly out there, but it would have done no good for him to lose his cool. Instead, Bowa held a brief team meeting to say that the players had tried hard, and that was all he asked

But there were too many blown plays--such as Hawkins’ mental error. In the first inning, Cub left fielder Chico Walker led off with a single to right and went to second on a ground out. Hawkins then struck out dangerous Andre Dawson, but got behind first baseman Leon Durham, 3-0.

Durham was hot as it was--he has a nine-game hitting streak--and the next batter was Keith Moreland, who had been struggling. So Bowa figured Hawkins might throw a strike, but nothing right down the middle.

The ball was a little inside, but right where Durham wanted it. The ball was smacked to right field for a double, and Walker scored. Durham had an RBI single off Hawkins in the third inning too.

“I would think there’s got to be some adjustments by our pitchers,” Bowa said of Hawkins (0-3). “Location is the problem.”

Durham said of his double: “If he wanted to waste a pitch at 3 and 0, he could have done it higher.”

Hawkins said: “He hit a 3-and-0 slider. What am I supposed to do? No one’s looking for a 3-and-0 slider! I’m confused. I really am.”

Bowa--told of Hawkins’ explanation--said: “Yeah, but ask him where his 3-and-0 slider was. I’m not talking about pitch selection. I’m talking about location.”

In this three-game series, a lot of the baseballs were located in the left-field seats. Dawson hit a home run off reliever Dave Dravecky in the seventh inning Sunday, giving the Cubs nine homers in three days. Padre pitchers now have yielded 38 homers, a major league high.

Many of the Padre pitchers blame it on a livelier ball, but Durham said, “First, our bats were corked, and now it’s the balls. . . . I just can’t explain it. We’ve just got guys who are strong nowadays.”

Durham’s secret appears to be the acquisition of free agent Dawson. The two of them have combined to hit 16 homers this year, four more than the entire Padre team.

“With Dawson, hey, I can become the ballplayer I always thought I’d become,” Durham said. “It’s a blessing he’s here.”

The Padres apparently aren’t so blessed. On Ryne Sandberg’s ground ball up the middle in the eighth inning Sunday, second baseman Cora thought shortstop Garry Templeton was going to field it, and Templeton thought Cora had it.

The ball rolled through.

As Bowa put it, this is rock bottom, because the Padres are the first team in baseball to reach 20 losses. Kruk, who doesn’t want to part with his $100, had a new excuse Sunday, saying: “Seems like umpires are baiting us. Close calls go against us. Hawkins throws a close pitch, and it’s a ball. (Sunday’s winner Rick) Sutcliffe throws a close pitch and it’s a strike.

“It’s a conspiracy. That’s right, it’s a conspiracy.”

Padre Notes

Manager Larry Bowa had another sleepless night Saturday, because he had decided to bench first baseman Steve Garvey and didn’t know how to break the news to him. Garvey had left the ballpark Saturday by the time Bowa made the decision to play John Kruk at first base in Sunday’s game. At one point, Bowa was thinking about saying nothing and just posting Sunday’s lineup. But that’s how the Cubs phased Bowa out, and he thought that was heartless. So he called Garvey in for a pregame chat on Sunday and simply told him. Garvey ended up consoling Bowa. “That’s what friends are for,” Garvey said. Bowa said, “Hardest thing I’ve ever done--telling a Hall of Famer that he’s not playing anymore. That’s worse than losing games. I told him it was not his fault, but we’re 6 and 19 (now 6 and 20). I’m not saying it’s fair, but he said he understood. We have to answer some questions about our young players. Can they play?” Garvey was pragmatic Sunday: “It has to be done under these circumstances. They have to evaluate young talent. I can see it.” . . . Sunday’s lineup changes had Kruk playing first base, Tim Flannery playing third and Kevin Mitchell playing left field. Kruk got ready by running two miles around the Wrigley Field outfield. Then he went inside the clubhouse and said: “I’m ready.” Meanwhile, Flannery made himself feel at home in the 40-degree temperature by playing a record (“Surf City”) on his yellow portable stereo. And Mitchell said: “Playing left field isn’t hard. Nothing’s hard if you put your mind to it.” . . . Reliever Goose Gossage (ribs) will come off the disabled list today and will pitch right away. “He says he’s ready to go,” Bowa said Sunday. “I told Goose, ‘I’d hate to be the first hitter you face.’ They tell me he’s (throwing) all over the place.” To make room for Gossage, pitcher Ed Wojna or Greg Booker will be sent to Triple-A Las Vegas. . . . Center fielder Stan Jefferson (ankle) will come off the disabled list Wednesday; catcher Bruce Bochy (hand) also should come off the disabled list this week. . . . General Manager Jack McKeon has left for Las Vegas to scout pitcher Ray Hayward and outfielder Randell Byers. Both players might be called up to the major leagues soon, Bowa said. . . . Right fielder Tony Gwynn said he found it amazing that Expo Tim Raines could sign a contract at about 3 a.m. Friday, and then go 4 for 5 with a grand slam the very next day in his first game in eight months. So Gwynn left a message for Raines Sunday, saying: “Congratulations on the contract, congratulations on your first game. Continued success, Tony Gwynn.” Later, Gwynn said: “No, he couldn’t have helped us, could he?” Gwynn still sounded dismayed that the Padres decided not to sign Raines this spring.