San Diego’s Hitchcock Fined $1,000

San Diego Padre left-hander Sterling Hitchcock has been fined $1,000 by the National League for hitting Colorado’s Larry Walker during an exhibition game.

Hitchcock is appealing.

Hitchcock and Walker, the reigning NL MVP, were ejected during the game, March 22 at Tucson, Ariz.

Walker, who objected to Hitchcock hitting Colorado pitcher John Thomson four batters earlier, began approaching the mound after being hit in the right shoulder in the fifth inning.

Hitchcock said then that the pitch that hit Walker slipped from his hand, but he did not deny plunking Thomson.

Thomson threw over Hitchcock’s head in the fifth inning in retaliation for Hitchcock throwing behind Walker in the third.

*

New York catcher Tim Spehr left in the third inning of Tuesday’s game against Pittsburgh because of a pulled muscle in his right rib cage. He will sit out the three-game series at Chicago. . . . Milwaukee’s John Jaha left the game against Florida in the fifth inning because of tightness in his upper back, and his status is day to day. . . . Chicago outfielder Lance Johnson left after three innings of the game against Montreal because of tightness in his right hip. His status is day to day.