June 30, 1969, San Diego: Giants 6, Padres 1 (box score)
The scary thing isn’t that the Padres went 7-22 in June to bring their season record to 27-52, it’s that they went 25-58 the rest of the way. As a relative newcomer to the party who has had to “suffer” through the ’93 Fire Sale and the lean years of 1999-2003, I can’t begin to imagine what life as a Padres fan was like back at the beginning.
Clay Kirby and veteran left-hander Mike McCormick faced off in the opener of a three-game series between the Padres and Giants at San Diego Stadium. As they had the previous game, the Padres scored a lone run in the first inning and then fell silent.
John Sipin led off the first with a single to left. One out later, an Ollie Brown single put runners at the corners. After Nate Colbert drew a walk, Al Ferrara flied to center, bringing home Sipin.
In the third inning, San Francisco went to work against Kirby. With the bases loaded and one out, Willie Mays singled to left, scoring Hal Lanier and Bobby Bonds. The next batter, future Padre Willie McCovey, doubled home Ron Hunt and Mays to extend the lead to 4-1.
The Giants tacked on two more runs in the fourth, and McCormick took care of the rest. Other than a minor rally in the seventh, the Padres never even got a runner into scoring position, as Kirby was saddled with his tenth loss of the season.
Trivia: McCovey’s number 44 was not retired by the Padres.
Love the Trivia GY.
I’ve also noted the last couple of BBTN I’ve watched have been minus the “Krukster” maybe he’s off making sure that #44 was retired, well to his basement.