Van Slyke Considered Going for 3

The entertainment value of the National League playoffs took a jump when the Pittsburgh Pirates won the title in the East.

It meant more appearances by Andy Van Slyke.

A Gold Glove center fielder, he committed a rare two errors recently at Chicago’s Wrigley Field--on one ball.

Van Slyke told Bob Hertzel of the Pittsburgh Press: “The ball went under my glove as I was trying to cut it off, and I said, ‘That’s an error.’ Then it came off the ivy and bounced out of my hand. ‘That’s error No. 2,’ I said to myself.

“Then I got to thinking, ‘Why not just throw the ball into the stands?’ I’m sure no outfielder ever made three errors on one ball.”

Add Pirates: Two days earlier, in the top of the first inning, Pirate shortstop Jay Bell got his 36th sacrifice bunt of the season, breaking Robert Gantley’s 84-year-old club record.

Hertzel wrote: “You knew something was wrong at the outset when the umpires stopped the game to present a player with a souvenir ball after a sacrifice bunt. “

In the bottom of the first, Pittsburgh starter John Smiley gave up six runs and was removed with one out, his earliest exit of the season. The Pirates lost to the Cubs, 8-5.

Trivia time: Name the southernmost NCAA Division I-A school.

“Gott” didn’t work: For those who run into trouble with The Times’ crossword puzzle, there’s a new service. Special operators are standing by to have words with you--for 95 cents a minute.

But for those who ran into trouble with 52-across in Thursday’s puzzle (four letters: “Dodger mound man”), there’s no relief.

To the amazement of readers Sheila Whitney, Ray Bergen and countless others, 52-across turned out to be “Pena.”

The Dodgers traded Alejandro Pena and Mike Marshall to the New York Mets for Juan Samuel last December.

To be regretted later: From Sports Illustrated’s NHL preview: “(The Kings are) a slow, aging team with a short attention span and can deliver success only in spurts. . . .

“L.A. owes Edmonton its No. 1 draft pick next year (via the Wayne Gretzky trade), so if it finishes with the league’s worst record--not that far-fetched a possibility, given the toughness of (the Smythe) division--it could even help the Oilers get Eric Lindros, the most coveted junior since Mario Lemieux.”

Trivia answer: University of Hawaii.

Quotebook: Hiroo Takahashi, business manager of a Japanese newspaper, after Cecil Fielder, who played last year with the Hanshin Tigers, hit his 50th and 51st home runs Wednesday: “It was big news for us because his fans in Osaka feel like he’s a man from this city now playing with the Detroit Tigers.”