Padres Gain in Chase for Second Place

By BOB WOLF

Sept. 14, 1992 12 AM PT

SPECIAL TO THE TIMES

SAN DIEGO —

It’s obvious that finishing second in the National League West means more to Greg Riddoch than to Lou Piniella.

Although Riddoch continued to go all out with the Padres on Sunday, Piniella’s lineup looked like something out of spring training. Coincidence or not, the Padres cashed in and beat the Cincinnati Reds, 3-1, in front of 12,895 at San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium.

By winning after dropping the first two games of the series, the Padres climbed back within a half game of the Reds race for second place. Not that it matters, but Padres also remained 11 games behind Atlanta.

Piniella gave Bip Roberts, Chris Sabo and Joe Oliver the day off--except for a pinch-hitting appearance by Roberts--and started Willie Greene, Jeff Branson and Dan Wilson. On top of that, he scratched Chris Hammond and started pitcher Bobby Ayala, recently up from Class AA Chattanooga.

Ayala did a fair job in his second major-league outing. He had only one bad inning, the third, in which Gary Sheffield hit home run No. 31 and Jerald Clark drove in a run with a double.

Ayala might even have come away a winner if Piniella had dealt him a full deck. As it was, Piniella’s lineup produced only four hits off winner Frank Seminara and none off relievers Rich Rodriguez, Jeremy Hernandez and Randy Myers.

Seminara pitched six fine innings for his eighth victory against three defeats, and Myers finished for his 34th save.

Whereas Piniella used the occasion to conduct September tryouts, Riddoch went with the best lineup he had available except for catcher Dan Walters, who filled in for Benito Santaigo.

Tony Gwynn didn’t play, either, but only because he hasn’t recovered from a knee injury that has kept him out of five games.

Piniella had said Saturday night that the difference between finishing second and third didn’t concern him, and he elaborated on that statement after Sunday’s defeat.

“Sure, I’d like to finish second,” he said. “What the hell, who wouldn’t? But it’s no big deal, and I’ve got some decisions to make. I’ve got kids I’ve got to look at with the expansion draft coming up.

“I don’t want to say we’re out of the race, but basically, that’s what it amounts to.”

Told of Piniella’s stance on the second-place race, Riddoch said, “He can do what he wants, but if I were to adopt that attitude, we might as well quit after being eliminated.

“We were picked for fifth place by most people--for fourth place by some--and I’ve asked my players to finish as strong as we can. I’ve asked them, ‘Would you feel better if you were picked for fifth and finished third or if you overcame more obstacles and finished second?’

“That was a couple of weeks ago, and they responded. We swept the Cubs in Chicago for the first time in 10 years.”

Riddoch has the ultimate incentive. Whether his team ends up second could determine whether he keeps his job.

Sheffield’s home run pulled him to within three of teammate Fred McGriff in that segment of his triple-crown bid. He drew even with Andy Van Slyke of Pittsburgh in hitting with a .331 average, and moved within five of Darrin Daulton of Philadelphia in runs batted in with 94.

Although Myers earned his 21st save in his last 22 opportunities, Hernandez drew as much praise with his continued excellent relief work. His perfect eighth inning, which included two strikeouts, ran his shutout string since being recalled from Las Vegas to 10 2/3 innings in eight appearances.

Asked if he had set his sights on the closer’s role for next season--because Myers will almost certainly leave as a free agent--Hernandez was diplomatic.

“I don’t think they’d want somebody who’s totally inexperienced,” Hernandez said. “Maybe as the season goes on, and maybe 1994.”

Two other recent call-ups from Las Vegas, Paul Faries and Phil Stephenson, teamed up on the play of the day. Ironically, they pulled it off only because Stephenson missed a sign.

In the sixth inning, Stephenson was batting for Seminara and Faries was running for Walters at third base. Stephenson thought the suicide squeeze was on and bunted toward the mound. Ayala threw him out, but took barely enough time for Faries to go home with a run.

Faries said afterward, “I stopped as soon as he (Ayala) checked me, but when he threw to first, I figured I might be able to make it.”

Stephenson declined credit.

“I screwed up,” he said. “I thought something (the bunt sign) was on and nothing was on. Paul just made a great play. Sometimes you screw up and it works out.”

Triple Crown Watch

Batting Average

Gary Sheffield, Padres: .331

Andy Van Slyke, Pittsburgh: .331

John Kruk, Philadelphia: .328

Home Runs

Fred McGriff, Padres: 34

Gary Sheffield, Padres: 31

Barry Bonds, Pittsburgh: 28

Runs Batted In

Darren Daulton, Philadelphia: 99

Terry Pendleton, Braves: 95