Padres Get Help From Ex-Padre in 7-5 Win : McReynolds Misses Chance for Retribution; Ex-Mets Provide Key Hits

A former New York Met was the hero, and a former Padre was the goat Monday night in a game so sentimental that Met Manager Davey Johnson completely lost his head.

Johnson clearly managed with his heart Monday night when he let former Padre outfielder Kevin McReynolds swing away on a 3-0 count with two out in the bottom of the ninth. At the time, the Mets trailed by two runs and had two men on. This was McReynolds’ first real chance to rub last December’s trade in Padre General Manager Jack McKeon’s face.

Facing reliever Lance McCullers, McReynolds lunged at a high fastball and popped up toward the left side of the infield. Padre third baseman Kevin Mitchell ran straight for it, and since this game held a special place in his heart as well--he was acquired in that same McReynolds deal--he was dying to clutch the final out.

Instead, Garry Templeton--sensing a collision in the middle of the diamond--told Mitchell to get back. Mitchell obeyed, and Templeton caught it cleanly. The final score was 7-5 Padres, and somebody had to go home with a broken heart.

“I admit it was a sentimental decision a little bit,” Johnson said of giving McReynolds the green light. “It would have been a fitting ending.”

Speaking of perfect fits, how about Stan Jefferson’s evening? Jefferson, the Padre center fielder, grew up within sight of Shea Stadium, and he even got to sleep in his old room at home Sunday night. He, too, was acquired in the McReynolds deal (for the record, the trade sent Mitchell, Jefferson, minor league outfielder Shawn Abner and two minor league pitchers to the Mets for McReynolds, reliever Gene Walter and a minor league infielder), and he chose this night to have his best game of the season.

Not only did he have three hits and three stolen bases, but he singled and stole two of those bases in an all-important ninth-inning rally that pushed the Padres ahead, 7-3.

The Padres scored two runs that inning, courtesy of Carmelo Martinez’s single.

And they would need those extra runs. McCullers--in relief of starter Dave Dravecky and then Craig Lefferts--had another nightmarish ninth, just as he’d had the previous day in Philadelphia, when Mike Schmidt missed a game-wining home run by a yard.

In Monday night’s ninth, McCullers gave up a single to Howard Johnson, struck out Wally Backman and gave up a bad-hop single--over first baseman Martinez’s head--to Lee Mazzilli. After pinch-hitter Dave Magadan flied out, Tim Teufel lined a ball hard at Mitchell. Mitchell misplayed it, the ball bouncing far to his right. He couldn’t find it at first, and both Johnson and Mazzilli scored.

Keith Hernandez followed with a single to right, moving Teufel to third and bringing up McReynolds for the final out.

“I’d much rather face McReynolds than Schmidt,” McCullers said.

McReynolds was nowhere to be found afterward. But before the game, he said he still hated Padre President Ballard Smith, and wasn’t too happy anymore with McKeon.

“We’re not as close as we once were,” he said of McKeon.

Now, back to the players in that trade. Mitchell had two hits Monday, Jefferson had his big night, and McReynolds went 0 for 3, though he did reach base when Jefferson dropped one of his fly balls. McReynolds also blew a play on defense. In the third inning, the Padres already led, 2-0, when John Kruk lined a ball to left. The ball fell in front of McReynolds and then rolled under his glove, allowing Mitchell to score from first.

The score was 4-0 and eventually went to 5-0.

So who got the best of whom in this trade?

Before the game, McReynolds said: “I think the Padre front office had to realize they had no pop in the lineup (without him), and they knew they’d have had a struggling season, but not this extreme. I don’t think they’ll be down all year long. They’ve got to get better.”

Jefferson said: “For the Mets, the McReynolds deal is for today. It was supposed to add more power to the lineup. For the Padres, the deal was for tomorrow.”

Bowa, after witnessing a second straight Padre victory--they have won two straight only twice this season--can’t wait for the future.

“The Mets might think they got the best of it now,” Bowa said. “But I guarantee at the end of the year, they won’t be saying that. When Shawn Abner comes up here. . . . And Jefferson busted his butt tonight. He can play. Let the Mets do their talking now.”

Padre Notes Jack McKeon, the Padre general manager, predicts he’ll make a trade by June 1. He wouldn’t name names, but he’s trying to trade some of his veteran pitchers (presumably Andy Hawkins, Dave Dravecky or Storm Davis) for young pitchers or power hitters. In the past, there has been talk about a trade that would send Hawkins to Cincinnati for infielder/outfielders Tracy Jones and Nick Esasky, and McKeon didn’t say it’s out of the realm. He said he’s also talked to the A’s about acquiring young third baseman Mark McGwire, but the A’s said forget it. There have been other talks with the Tigers, Mets and Yankees. . . . McKeon spent most of this week on a scouting trip, and it wasn’t until Friday that he heard about Manager Larry Bowa’s shouting match with center fielder Stan Jefferson. “Once in a while, you need a good fight,” McKeon said. “Either fight another club or fight yourselves. What the heck?”

A rumor was floating around Friday that Bowa had resigned as manager. “What? In case you people don’t know me, I don’t quit,” Bowa said. “And after 36 games, I sure don’t. Listen, this program will be turned around. It just may not be as quick as people think.” Bowa also praised the San Diego fans for not getting on his case. “If I were a fan, I wouldn’t be that patient,” he said. But he asks people to remember he has a young team. “Take Tony (Gwynn) and (Garry) Templeton out, and there ain’t too many household names,” Bowa said. “I made a double switch not long ago, and I told (umpire) Eric Gregg that (rookie James) Steels was going to left, and Gregg says, ‘Who the hell is Steels?’ ”