A One and-a Two: Cora, Alomar Get the Beat Going for Padres

Thursday’s Padre victory came complete with a lesson:

Little things really can win baseball games.

Joey Cora and Roberto Alomar, Nos. 1 and 2 in the Padre batting order, got on base six times and scored four runs between them as the Padres won, 8-6.

They took bases. They took pitches. They stayed alert.

“The first and second hitters have to do that a lot,” Alomar said. “Keep moving. Let Tony Gwynn, Jack Clark and Joe Carter drive people in.”

Well, Carter got his first hit of the season Thursday, driving in two runs. As for Gwynn and Clark, neither had a hit or a run-batted in.

But for a day at least, the Padres were able to overcome that.

“Usually, early in the season, sluggers aren’t going to be driving the ball,” Clark said. “It takes a while to get our swings. If we get (the top of the order) on base, we can get something started. Over the last (four) games, we really haven’t knocked the cover off the ball, and they deserve a lot of credit for getting that going.

“That’s the reason why we got this game today. They got it started. That’s why you need everybody. They always want to talk about certain individuals, but you’re not going to win without everybody out there--the bullpen, the bench, everybody.”

It was a lazy day during spring training when Manager Jack McKeon said that the Padres were going to run more this season, even if it meant taking themselves out of a game early.

Thursday, the running attack helped put the Padres ahead early. When they got behind, it helped them come back to tie. After that, the running game slowed down, but Cora and Alomar didn’t. Alomar played a vital role in the Padres’ game-winning rally, and Cora walked to keep it alive.

What you will find in this morning’s box score is this: Cora had one hit, two walks, two stolen bases and two runs scored. Alomar had two hits--one a home run--one stolen base, three RBIs and two runs scored.

What you will not find in the box score is this: Cora and Alomar both were given the freedom to steal when they thought they could make it, and they obviously made some pretty good choices. Neither was thrown out. Both times Cora stole second, Alomar took pitches right down the middle of the plate when he realized Cora already was successful. And after each steal, Alomar drove Cora home on the next pitch.

“Robbie did a great job of taking pitches for me,” Cora said. “He’s confident--he can hit with one strike. He understands if you get a good jump, it helps to take a pitch. He understands that if you help the runner, you help the team, too. And he helps himself, too, because he gets RBIs and gets on base.”

It started in the third inning, when Cora singled to center with two outs and stole second, and Alomar singled him home. That made it 2-0, Padres.

It continued in the sixth, when Cora led off with a walk, stole second and then scored when Alomar homered to right on a hanging, 1-and-2 forkball.

“What I was trying to do was move Cora over to third base,” Alomar said. “There were no out, and my job was to bring him to third on a ground ball or something. But (Dodger pitcher Mike Hartley) gave me something I was looking for.”

That tied the game at 4-4.

In the eighth, Alomar drew a leadoff walk and went to third thanks to some Dodger confusion when Tony Gwynn bounced to the pitcher. Both Alfredo Griffin and Willie Randolph were covering second, and Don Aase’s throw bounced off Griffin’s glove and into center field. Alomar got up and scurried to third, then scored on Carter’s single. The Padres led by the end of the inning, 8-4.

It was the second time Alomar had taken third on a Dodger error. After his single in the third, he stole second and went to third when Dodger catcher Rick Dempsey’s throw sailed into center field.

“After I dive, I keep my head up to see where the ball is going,” Alomar said. “That’s why I took advantage of their errors today.”

Bip Roberts batted leadoff during the first three games but was given Thursday off. Garry Templeton also had the day off, so Cora batted leadoff in place of Roberts and played shortstop in place of Templeton in his first appearance of the season.

“Tempy has been having a great season,” Cora said. “When I spell him, I just try to keep that level of play. I don’t want people to think that since Tempy isn’t playing, we’re going to be in trouble.”

Cora said he received advice concerning his utility role from Roberts, Templeton, former Padre Tim Flannery and several others.

“When I got this utility job, they said, ‘Expect to play every day. When you get a chance, be ready.’ I’m just happy to be in the big leagues--happy to do anything I can to help.”

Thursday, he and Alomar helped plenty.