1969: Bullpen Implodes, Padres Drop Opener to Expos
Sun, Jun 10, 2007
by Geoff Young
June 10, 1969, San Diego: Expos 7, Padres 4 (box score)
A season-low “crowd” of 3,194 gathered to witness the Montreal Expos’ first ever game in San Diego. Rookie right-hander Mike Wegener, who had yielded two unearned runs over nine innings against the Padres in Montreal 11 days earlier, got the call for the visitors. San Diego countered with Clay Kirby.
Down 1-0 headed to the bottom of the second, the home team flashed a rare power display. Nate Colbert led off with a home run. Then, after an Al Ferrara walk, Ed Spiezio knocked one out of the park to put the Padres up, 3-1. The next two batters reached base, but Wegener recovered to escape further damage.
In the fifth, still holding a two-run advantage, Kirby coughed up the lead. With one out, Rusty Staub knocked a double. Mack Jones followed with a homer to tie the game. After Ty Cline walked and Coco Laboy doubled, Kirby was yanked in favor of Gary Ross.
Ross, unfortunately, couldn’t find the plate. He intentionally walked Gary Sutherland to load the bases for light-hitting catcher Ron Brand. An unintentional walk to Brand forced home a run and gave the Expos a 4-3 lead.
The Padres came back, though. Spiezio led off the sixth with his second home run of the game to re-tie the score.
The score remained even until the eighth inning. With right-hander Gary Waslewski on the mound for Montreal, the Padres put runners at the corners with one out. Rookie left-hander Dan McGinn then came in to face Tony Gonzalez, who drew a walk to load the bases.
Enter 41-year-old Roy Face. A dominant reliever in the late-’50s and early-’60s, Face was on his last legs by the time he got to Montreal. On this day, though, those legs would be plenty strong to do the job. Face retired Roberto Pena on a ground out and John Sipin on an infield fly to end the threat.
Jack Baldschun and the Padres weren’t so lucky in the top of the ninth. With two out and nobody on, Baldschun issued a walk to Brand (his third of the contest). Three batters later, three runs had scored. Only a Maury Wills caught stealing with Staub at the plate brought the inning to a close.
The Padres managed a couple of singles around a double play in their half but came up empty. They had dropped their fourth straight and first ever to the Expos.
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June 10, 2007 at 1:50 am
A Padres.com poll asks “Which Padres bench player would you like to see get more playing time?”
Geoff Blum: 1219 votes (24%)
Hiram Bocachica: 1371 votes (27%)
Russell Branyan: 1807 votes (35%)
Paul McAnulty: 701 votes (14%)
Theories: Geoff Blum has a huge family. Padre fans are masochists. Padre fans are idiots. Dodger fans voted in the poll.
June 10, 2007 at 7:25 am
1 … prolly some of all of the above … an interesting feature to add to the poll would be a quick follow-up question along these lines …
“Why do you want that player to get more playing time?”
o He’s a better hitter and the Padres would score more runs
o He’s a better defender and the Padres would give up fewer runs
o I’m related to him
o I want the Padres to win fewer games
o I don’t know
o I’m a Dodger fan
June 10, 2007 at 7:29 am
http://sandiego.padres.mlb.com.....mp;c_id=sd … has a link to Bud’s post-game press conference … no tough questions … no one asks him why Wells pitches the 6th inning, let alone asking him why Wells pitches into the 7th inning, rather than using some of the bullpen depth (ie. Hampson / KCameron)
OTOH … the Padres are winning … and Bud’s gotta get *a lot* of credit for that!
June 10, 2007 at 7:35 am
Chase Headley update …
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sp.....f1e7e.html
Headley sat out Saturday after getting hit in the right knee and calf by pitches in Friday’s loss to Frisco. He is listed as day-to-day.
… pitches? Ouch! He’s currently on an 11-game hitting streak.
June 10, 2007 at 8:39 am
Pads still on pace to win 95 games. A win today means a 4-2 homestand against two teams that are well over .500. Nice. Go Padres !!!!
June 10, 2007 at 12:19 pm
What a difference 3+ years makes. Since 64-98 debacle in 2003, the Padres have been 291-256 playing at a .531 (86-76) clip. When reflecting on where the organization was in 2002 and 2003 and where they are today, much praise has to go to not only to Towers, but the new brass as well.