Padres Lose, 3-2, to Giants : Garvey Gets Booed, but Bowa’s Not Ready to Give Up on Him Yet

SAN DIEGO —  Some of those Padre youngsters weren’t so bad Tuesday night.

Joey Cora returned from two days on the bench with three hits and two stolen bases. Lance McCullers struck out the three batters he faced in the ninth inning.

Ed Wojna pitched six decent innings while allowing three runs, though he was the loser in a 3-2 San Francisco victory.

But what about Steve Garvey, the veteran of all veterans?

Of all things, many of the 13,327 fans at San Diego Stadium actually booed Garvey.

It began in the fifth when Garvey struck out with runners on first and second.

Garvey was booed again in the eighth, as he approached the plate. He was booed more when he grounded out to second.

Such is the life of a 38-year-old veteran who has two singles and a three-run homer to show for 27 at-bats.

So what if Garvey is a traditionally slow starter? This is a year that many think may be his last--and a 3-for-27 start could seem to support that theory.

“What am I going to do about Garvey?” Bowa repeated after a question. “I don’t think 27 at-bats warrant me benching Garvey. There are a lot of guys not hitting. He’s the only guy that won a ballgame for us. (He hit a three-run homer in Sunday’s 5-2 win at Cincinnati.) I don’t think it’s fair to bench a guy who has played 17 years after 27 at-bats. I think it’s too early to say somebody’s not carrying us.”

It may be too early for Bowa to say. But what about the fans who booed Garvey?

“It goes with all of our frustrations,” Garvey said. “People want me to get a hit as much as I want to. Nobody wants to make them cheer more than I do or the team does. The wins and cheers will come.”

Perhaps it’s best that San Francisco leaves town after tonight’s game. The Giants have won five straight against the Padres and are off to a 7-2 start, their best since 1979.

The Padres have only one victory in eight games, tying their previous worst start in 1974. Things could get worse before they get better because center fielder Stanley Jefferson will have his sprained left ankle X-rayed today. He is supposed to be the leadoff hitter.

Without Jefferson, Cora was the leadoff hitter Tuesday. He did his job by getting on base his first three at-bats, but others weren’t following his lead.

The Padres left 10 runners on base, including three on third and four on second.

Even in the first, it appeared the Padres would be in for another long evening.

The first indication came when Wojna threw what was supposed to be a pitchout. Jeffrey Leonard reached out to single to right, advancing Chili Davis to third on the hit-and-run.

“We called for a pitchout, and he just didn’t get it out far enough,” Bowa said. “Eventually, that’s the winning run, really.”

Wojna threw a wild pitch that allowed Davis to score. Candy Maldonado lined into a double play, ending the inning.

Bob Melvin, the great Padre killer, gave the Giants a two-run lead in the second.

He lined his fourth homer of the year--all against the Padres-- over the wall in right-center.

San Francisco pitcher Mark Davis came within an eyelash of his first major league home run in the third, hitting a triple off the top of the wall in left-center.

After Will Clark walked, Davis scored on a ground out by Chili Davis.

What about the Padres?

They had their chances early but couldn’t take advantage.

In the first, Kevin Mitchell struck out with runners on second and third.

In the fourth, Marvell Wynne popped out to third with runners on first and second.

Finally, the Padres scored two runs in the fifth.

Cora hit his third consecutive single to center with one out. He stole second.

Tony Gwynn singled to center, but Cora was held at third. Carmelo Martinez singled to left, scoring Cora and moving Gwynn to second.

None other than Garvey was next. He struck out, causing many fans to boo him.

Mitchell followed with a single to right, scoring Gwynn.

San Francisco Manager Roger Craig had seen enough of Davis, who needed one more out to be eligible to earn the victory.

On came Mark Grant, who advanced the runners to second and third on a wild pitch. However, the inning ended on Benito Santiago’s fly to deep center.

The Padres had a chance to tie the score in the eighth after consecutive one-out singles by Mitchell and Santiago.

First, Garry Templeton struck out. Then, pinch-hitter John Kruk, batting for Wynne, walked to load the bases.

It was left up to pinch-hitter James Steels, another Padre rookie.

Steels didn’t do so well against Scott Garrelts, the Giants’ relief ace. Steels fouled out to third base on an 0 and 2 pitch.