[rpriske]

[SIDE NOTE: I am looking at the daytime photo of Jack Murphy Stadium and remembering that back in 1985, I was actually STANDING on that field. I was part of the colour guard for the Canadian flag when the Expos were in town. I was in San Diego as part of a cadet exchange.]


April 27th, 1986

One thing I haven't talked about much is the fact that I have been finishing my school while playing for the Giants.

I am nearly there. I don't get an actual graduation ceremony but I will be done with high school pretty soon.

But today, I am in San Diego, facing Dave Dravecky (0-3, 4.26), and the Padres.
We are pitching Eric King (2-1, 2.25).

I have had a lot of success against Dravecky, going 5 for 16.

Today I lead off on a sunny afternoon by trying to stretch the Padre's losing streak to 16 games. I start the right way, by dropping a single into short left.
Stolen base #14 follows. I then score on a Ben Oglivie single. Both he and Chili Davis later score on a Mike Aldrete single.

Giants lead 3-0.

Oglivie also came up big in the Padre's half as he gunned down Randy Ready trying to score on a Tony Gwynn sac.

I came up in the 2nd with one out and singled into left again! This time, though, I was thrown out trying to steal. Oh well. When you steal as much as I do, that is going to happen.

In the 3rd Rob Deer hit a solo shot!

Giants lead 4-0.

I got the 2nd out in the 3rd, throwing out Darrell Miller at 2nd on a Harold Reynolds fielder's choice. Ready then singled, scoring Juan Beniquez from 3rd.

Giants lead 4-1.

Robby Thompson led off the 4th with a homer! I came up with one out and grounded out to Ready at 3rd.

Giants lead 5-1.

I got the 1st out in the bottom frame off a Kevin McReynolds grounder.

In the 6th Ready doubled home Reynolds.

Giants lead 5-2.

I came up with one out in the 7th and reached on an error to Ready. This time I was thrown out due to a pitchout.

Mark Davis relieved for us that inning.

In the 8th Robby singled with the base loaded, scoring Chili and Deer.

Giants lead 7-2.

Willie Fraser came in to pitch for us in the 8th.

I led off the 9th, facing Ed Wojna. I dropped one into short centre for my third single of the game. This time I not only picked up stolen base #15, but moved to 3rd when Miller threw the ball away. Oglivie singled me home. We kept it going with the boys loading the bases for Bob Brenly, who singled home Ben and Chili. Later Robby singled home Deer. I came up with Brenly on 3rd, Steve Stanicek on 2nd, and Robby on 1st. I took one for the team and ate an inside pitch. Hey, I'll take the RBI!

Giants lead 12-2!

Pat Perry took the mound for us in the 9th. Maybe there was a bit of overconfidence and a walk, hit, and error later and the Padres had loaded things up with none out. Darrell Miller then smacked a triple, wiping all three runners across home. Carmelo Martinez walked. Pat uncorked a wild pitch, scoring Miller. Pat got the next two out but then Tony Gwynn doubled, scoring Martinez.
Nestor had seen enough and went and got Frank Williams to pitch.
He got the last out and we picked up the win, 12-7.

Bad day for Pat Perry but a good day for everyone else. I went 3 for 5 with an RBI, two runs scored and a pair of stolen bases. (All right, I also had two caught stealing.)

I am hitting .224, which may not sound like much, but it is a big upswing.

We are now 11-7 and only two games behind the Dodgers. We have won five in a row. (And the poor Padres have lost SIXTEEN in a row.)

Tomorrow we are home to face the Cardinals.