Candaele Burns Padres at Both Ends and the Expos Win, 6-2

In another place and time, Padre catcher Benito Santiago was electing himself Rookie of the Year.

“I’ll go,” he said in spring training, figuring he’d be picking up some serious silverware at a black-tie award banquet this coming winter.

But in this place (Olympic Stadium) and at this time (Tuesday night), Benito Santiago was put in his place by another rookie--Montreal Expo center fielder Casey Candaele, who should start working on his acceptance speech right away.

Tuesday night, Candaele basically won the game for the Expos--the final score was 6-2--while Santiago was largely responsible for another Padre defeat, their 40th of the season.

People around the United States might not know much about Candaele, especially people in Chicago. When comedian Bill Murray subbed for ailing Cub broadcaster Harry Caray a while back, Murray gave listeners an evaluation of the Expo lineup.

“Leading off is Casey Candaele,” Murray said on the air. “ . . . Well, he’s no good.”

But he is. Tuesday night, he got the first Expo run on the board with an RBI single to center. Later, with the Expos leading, 2-1, Padre right fielder Tony Gwynn was on third with two outs. Carmelo Martinez lined a ball to left-center, a sure RBI double. Instead, here came Candaele for a diving, run-saving catch.

Candaele, a native of Lompoc, Calif., says he had never been given a standing ovation. After the catch, he got one.

“I was shaking,” he said.

In the sixth, with the Expos ahead, 3-2, Candaele saved another run. This time, Santiago was on second with two outs when pinch-hitter Marvell Wynne lined a single to center. Candaele says he’s a former infielder and he’s used to charging ground balls. He charged this one, all right, and threw a strike to the plate to get Santiago.

Larry Bowa, Padre manager, was all over Santiago afterward, saying: “Benny probably played as bad a game as you can play.”

What he meant was that Santiago should have had a huge lead off second base with two outs. Bowa said the Expo shortstop and second baseman weren’t anywhere close to him, and he should have had a lead close to halfway to third.

“No matter how slow you are, you’ve gotta score on that play,” Bowa said.

But it wasn’t just that. In the third inning, when the Expos went ahead, 1-0, against starter Jimmy Jones--who walked four and gave up three runs in five innings Tuesday, including a homer to right fielder Mitch Webster--Santiago dropped one of Jones’ pitches, allowing a runner to take third.

“He said he lost it in the scoreboard,” Bowa said, rolling his eyes.

Candaele tried a delayed steal with two outs in that same inning, and Santiago failed to throw the ball. Later, it was learned that Santiago thought it was strike three, and the inning was over. But umpire John McSherry had called it a ball, and Candaele was standing on second base.

In the fourth inning, Expo first baseman Andres Galarraga tried stealing second and got a terrible jump. Nonetheless, Santiago threw the ball into center field and Galarraga took third. He ended up scoring on a ground out.

This is why Jones said later he’d given up “a couple cheap runs.”

Santiago, meanwhile, was refusing comment for the first time all season.

“I don’t want to talk,” he told reporters. “And watch what you put in the paper.”

Reliever Lance McCullers needs to put more on his fastball. McCullers entered Tuesday’s game in the sixth inning with the Expos leading, 3-2, and the first batter he faced--shortstop Hubie Brooks--homered to left (the 70th home run against Padre pitching). In all Tuesday night, McCullers gave up three runs in three innings of relief.

Pitching coach Galen Cisco said: “Lance is struggling, but . . . I don’t think he’s our problem.”

A French reporter asked Bowa in a thick accent: “Is this how it’s been all year?”

And Bowa said: “Oh, yeah. What you saw tonight? Every single game. Walks, home runs, mistakes like that. Every single game. And most of them are mental mistakes by the kids.”

But one kid didn’t play like a kid--Candaele. So maybe Bill Murray isn’t a baseball expert after all.

“Oh, that was great what Murray did,” Candaele said Tuesday. “I thought it was funny. I was sitting in the clubhouse when he went over our lineup. The guys were all over me.”

Tuesday, they were all over him, too. They kept slapping him on the back.

Padre Notes

Jack McKeon, the Padres’ general manager, keeps telling people he needs pitchers and power hitters. In Tuesday’s free-agent draft, he might have killed two birds with one stone. With the 10th pick overall, the Padres selected University of Texas pitcher/outfielder Kevin Garner, whose scouting report reads as follows: “He’s a pitching prospect. But if he can’t cut it, he can really hit for power.” McKeon said: “In other words, we have two shots at him. We think he’s a pitcher that can get to the big leagues quick. But some people think he’s as good a big league power hitter as pitcher.” McKeon figures Garner can be in the major leagues in “a year or two. That’s pretty quick.” Garner, a right-hander, is 6-3, 205 pounds, but he’s not necessarily a power pitcher. McKeon says he has an above-average fastball and a great curveball. At Texas this year, the 21-year-old Garner has a 10-3 record in 14 starts with a 3.28 ERA. He hasn’t allowed a home run, but he has hit 14 himself and has 50 RBIs.

PADRES AT A GLANCE

Scorecard THIRD INNING

Expos--With one out, Fitzgerald singled to left-center. Smith sacrificed, Fitzgerald taking second. Fitzgerald took third on Santiago’s passed ball. Candaele singled to center, Fitzgerald scoring. Candaele stole second. Webster and Raines walked, loading the bases. Wallach grounded to short. One run, two hits, three left.

FOURTH INNING

Expos--Galarraga walked. Brooks struck out. Galarraga stole second and took third on Santiago’s throwing error. Law walked. Fitzgerald grounded to third, Galarraga scoring and Law taking second. Smith struck out. One run (unearned), no hits, one error, one left.

FIFTH INNING

Padres--With two outs, Ready singled to left. Gwynn tripled to right-center, Ready scoring. Martinez lined to left-center. One run, two hits, one left.

Expos--With one out, Webster homered to right, his third. Raines grounded to second. Wallach singled to center. Galarraga struck out. One run, two hits, one left.

SIXTH INNING

Padres--Kruk and Santiago walked. McGaffigan replaced Smith. Mack sacrificed, Kruk taking third and Santiago taking second. Templeton flied to center, Kruk scoring. Wynne, batting for Jones, singled to center, with Santiago thrown out at the plate. One run, one hit.

Expos--McCullers took the mound. Brooks homered to left, his first. Law singled to left. Fitzgerald popped to third. McGaffigan sacrificed, Law taking second. Candaele struck out. One run, two hits, one left.

SEVENTH INNING

Expos--Webster walked and took second on first baseman Martinez’s fielding error. Raines grounded to second, Webster taking third. Wallach singled to right, Webster scoring. Wallach was caught stealing. Galarraga walked. Brooks struck out. One run, one hit, one left, one error.

EIGHTH INNING

Expos--With one out, Fitzgerald doubled to right-center. Johnson, batting for McGaffigan, singled to right-center, Fitzgerald scoring. Candaele grounded to second, Johnson taking second. Webster flied to left. One run, two hits, one left.