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We began a nine game home stand by losing two out of three to Montreal. We then beat the Phillies 4-3 in the first game of the series against Philadelphia.
Then it was my turn again.
We were 27-19. Two behind the Dodgers.
The Phillies were 25-16. A game and a half behind the Mets.
It was Tuesday, May 26, 1987.
The night I would make my first start at Jack Murphy Stadium.
It was a cool night, 58 degrees. Partly cloudy. A light wind blowing out to the right.
Terry Kennedy would be behind the plate. Though I had worked more with Bennie, I had gotten used to Kennedy as well.
And I had beaten the Phillies in my first start.
They also now had a game of experience facing me.
I called Beth before the game. Just to hear her voice. Settle my nerves a little.
Take her to the mound with me.
The first pitch of the game went to deep center. And into Willie McGee's glove.
And then I walked Chili Davis on four pitches.
Blue wasn't giving me the knees. I hate when the ump squeezes my strike zone.
The Phillies cashed it in and we were down 1-0.
Gwynn tied the game in the bottom of the first with an RBI triple and then scored on a McReynolds sacrifice fly and we led 2-1.
All the Phillies got in the second was a single.
But I was falling behind in the count too much and in the third, I walked Darrell Evans on four pitches with two men out. Von Hayes then singled to put runners at the corners. I then fell behind Tim Wallach 2-0 but he swung at a high fastball and flied out to left to retire the side.
Then I was up to bat to lead off the bottom of the third.
Down 1-2 I took a big cut and was so far ahead of the changeup I had struck out before the ball even reached the plate.
I finally got my first strikeout of the game as Griffey swung at a changeup on a 2-2 count and was, like I had been, expecting fastball.
With a runner on first and two out, I walked their pitcher.
I was pitching like crap!
Juan Samuel then grounded to first to retire the side.
Despite my command being all over the map, we were still up 2-1.
In the top of the fifth, Stanicek booted a one out grounder but made it up on the next batter by starting the four to six to three to retire the side.
In the bottom of the fifth, I came up to bat with the bases empty and two out. Why can't I get up 0-2 like Tim Leary was on me?
He missed with a low fastball and then came on the outside edge with a forkball. This time I waited on it and rolled it right up the middle for a base hit.
My first ever hit in Jack Murphy Stadium!
Willie McGee then grounded out. At least I didn't have to run as much this time.
In the top of the sixth, I was really in a bind. The Phillies had runners at the corners with nobody out and the score was still just 2-1. Kruk then knocked down a groundball but Alfredo Griffin beat me to the bag and Tim Wallach scored from third to tie the game. Ozzie Guillen made a couple of good defensive plays to push the situation to runners at second and third with two out.
Back to the top of the order.
I got ahead on Juan Samuel 1-2 on three fastballs. Kennedy then called for the slider.
The ball cut and ended up belt high right in the middle of the plate.
Samuel never saw it coming and just watched it go by.
Strike three!
Runners stranded.
Score 2-2.
The offensive support I had gotten in my first start just wasn't here tonight. Through six innings, we had just four hits, including mine.
I fell behind Davis 2-0 but he grounded a low inside fastball to Kruk and I beat Davis to the bag to get the out.
I fell behind Evans 2-0 but evened the count and he popped out to second.
Von Hayes then swung at a first pitch low inside fastball and flew out to right.
Three up. Three down.
Well, how about that!
As I took the mound in the eighth, I did so knowing this was my last inning tonight. The game was still tied and my spot would be leading off the bottom of the inning.
I got Tim Wallach to fly out to right on two pitches.
Then Dick Williams headed to the mound, pointing at his left hand.
Really? Won't even let me finish the eighth?
Just when I had finally started pitching well too.
I handed Skip the ball and the 26,234 cheered as I walked off the field with a guaranteed no decision.
And, pitching in the hitter spot, Jeff Hamilton led off the bottom of the eighth with a home run. We added one more and won 4-2.
Craig Lefferts got the win. Roger McDowell got the save.
I had gone 7.1 innings, allowed two runs on eight hits and three walks and struck out two.
"James! Go talk to the press."
Again?
A thirty-something year old blond woman in a pantsuit led me onto the field and introduced me to Greg Jurica of the local ABC Network.
Again, a few softball questions about how I felt about the game as he buttered up my performance.
I gave the polite answers, praising my teammates and talking about how this was about the team and not myself.
After the interview was over, Miss Blonde Pantsuit pulled me aside.
"You don't give glory to God when you win a game?"
"Huh?"
"It's what athletes do. Give glory to God for winning the game."
"I never thought God cared who won these games."
She looked at me like I had just committed an unforgivable sin.
Sorry, folks, I will not be making people think that the only team God helps win games is the Padres.
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