Padres Have Day That Expos Fans Hate, 8-3

MONTREAL â€”  French Canadian fans boo, too, though it’s not clear whether their boos are accented. It’s an intriguing question, and Montreal Expo first baseman Dan Driessen, who heard the boos during and after Sunday’s 8-3 Padre victory here, was saying: “I’m not sure how their boos sound. Anybody know?â€�

But over in the Padre clubhouse, there should have been booze--as in victory champagne--for it had been a remarkable day for their team. First, Terry Kennedy, who injured his right shoulder while sleeping Thursday night and then missed two games, recovered while sleeping Saturday night. He awoke Sunday morning with no pain, ripped ball after ball during batting practice and then had four hits in the game, including a very long second inning home run.

Then there was Graig Nettles, 40, who says he still hears people saying he should retire. He says this is nonsense, and his statement makes sense. On Sunday, he was 4 for 4, giving him more than 2,000 hits in his career. He was given the game ball.

“I don’t have a trophy room,� he said. “I have a lot of mementos, but I put them in the closet. I’ll probably put this in the closet, too. I’ll figure out what to do with it later.�

And then there was Andy Hawkins, who was in the second grade when Nettles got his first major league hit and hadn’t even heard of Nettles until the 1978 World Series. Apparently, word doesn’t travel fast to Waco, Tex., where Hawkins learned to throw his first pitch.

Anyway, Hawkins was nothing special on Sunday, giving up 11 hits, but he still earned another victory, his 8th. He is 8-0, still undefeated and obviously on his way to the All-Star game, although he says he’d like not to talk about such things as awards and winning streaks.

“It’s kind of like when you’re throwing a no-hitter,� said Hawkins, who speaks so softly that people have to squint their ears to hear him. “I’d just appreciate it if no one said anything.�

Luis DeLeon, though, would just like Manager Dick Williams to say: “You’re my No. 2 reliever.� And maybe DeLeon is. Goose Gossage, the No. 1 reliever, wasn’t supposed to play Sunday, and Williams, afraid that he might use Gossage anyway, didn’t want Goose to even dress for the game. Gossage pulled on the uniform anyway, but Williams showed resolve by calling for DeLeon in bullpen.

DeLeon then was introduced to the crowd in French, and Williams told him in English: “Here’s your chance. We’ve got to find somebody to do the job (as the No. 2 reliever).�

Then, speaking to himself in Spanish, DeLeon said: “I am going to do it.�

He did, giving up just one single and earning his first save since 1983. Back in 1983, DeLeon was a short reliever before injuries and other factors (Gossage, for instance) took him out of that role. But he’d give his left arm (not his right, which he uses for pitching) to become so important again.

Overall, the Padres had 17 hits, their season high. Tony Gwynn had three, Kevin McReynolds extended his consecutive game hitting streak to 13 and Carmelo Martinez had a pair of doubles. Martinez knew he’d have a good day when he made a 100-foot putt during batting practice (his bat was the the putter; third base was the hole).

Unfortunately, this game was in Montreal, where they weren’t particularly interested in seeing San Diego run up the score. They booed starter Steve Rogers (now 2-4), and they booed Manager Buck Rodgers, who left Rogers in.

And apparently, that wasn’t Rodger’s fault. Because of injuries and because his long relievers have been horrendous, he had to stay with his starters, even though Rogers stranded two runners in the second, three runners in the third and gave up four runs on six hits in the fifth, including a single by opposing pitcher Hawkins.

Said Rodgers: “I didn’t have anybody, so that’s why had to go with Rogers so long. I had to let Rogers go out and get his brains beat out.�

The public didn’t like it, though. They’re impatient north of the border, too.

Padre Notes

Graig Nettles on reaching the 2,000-hit plateau: “It’s really not that big of a deal. It’s just a number, really. I didn’t know about it until the last three or four days when it was mentioned to me. Three thousand is the real magic number.� . . . In four of the first five innings that Andy Hawkins pitched Sunday, the lead-off man got on base. Said Hawkins: “I think it comes from a lack of concentration when nobody’s on base. I feel better when people are on base. I guess I concentrate better.� Hawkins, when asked if he ever thought he’d be 8-0: “After 8 starts, I realistically hoped to be 5-3. This is a surprise. I can’t count on it lasting.� . . . Terry Kennedy, by going 4 for 5, raised his batting average 30 points to .249. But he said, “It was Nettles’ day. He got his 2,000th. I hope I’m around long enough to get 1,000.� Kennedy’s shoulder problems involved the bursa sac, a part of the shoulder that lubricates the joint. Said Kennedy of the bursa sac: “It’s like motor oil for your arm.� There was a strange play involving Kennedy on Sunday. With Kevin McReynolds on first and Nettles on second with two outs, he singled up the middle. Nettles was about to cross the plate when McReynolds was thrown out at third. Consequently, no run was credited. Manager Dick Williams blamed the play on McReynolds, saying he shouldn’t have tried going to third unless Nettles had already crossed the plate or was about to cross it or, of course, unless he knew he’d be safe at third. Otherwise, he should have held up at second.

PADRES AT A GLANCE

Scorecard SECOND INNING Padres--Nettles singled to right. McReynolds grounded into a double play. Kennedy homered to right, his fifth. Martinez doubled down the line in left. Templeton was walked intentionally. Hawkins popped to the shortstop. One run, three hits, two left.

THIRD INNING Padres--Flannery walked. Gwynn singled to right, Flannery taking second. Brooks threw Garvey’s grounder into right field, Gwynn taking second, Flannery scoring. Nettles singled to right, loading the bases. McReynolds popped to second. Kennedy popped to third. Martinez grounded to third. One run, two hits, three left.

Expos--Rogers doubled to left center. Raines grounded to second, Rogers taking third. Washington popped to the shortstop. Dawson singled to left center, Rogers scoring. Driessen walked. Brooks forced Driessen. One run, two hits, two left.

FIFTH INNING Padres--Gwynn singled to right. Garvey singled to right, Gwynn taking third. Nettles singled to right, Gwynn scoring, Garvey taking second. McReynolds doubled down the line in left, Garvey and Nettles scoring. Kennedy doubled down the line in right, McReynolds scoring. Martinez reached on a fielder’s choice, Kennedy out in a rundown. Templeton flew to left. Hawkins singled up the middle. Lucas took the mound. Flannery grounded to second. Four runs, six hits, two left.

Expos--Raines homered to right, his first. Washington grounded to shortstop. Dawson singled to left. Driessen grounded to first unassisted, Hawkins tagging Dawson out in a rundown. One run, two hits, one left.

SIXTH INNING Expos--With two outs, Winningham tripled over the head of McReynolds in center. Fitzgerald singled to left, Winningham scoring. Francona, pinch-hitting for Lucas, grounded out to Garvey at first. One run, two hits, one left.

NINTH INNING Padres--Burke took the mound. Kennedy singled up the middle. Martinez doubled off the wall in left, Kennedy scoring. Templeton grounded out to the shortstop. DeLeon grounded out to third. Flannery singled to left, Martinez scoring. Gwynn reached on an infield single up the middle, Flannery taking second. Garvey struck out. Two runs, four hits, two left.