Pads Beat Giants Behind EY, DJ & a First

(from July 3, 2005)
Eric Young returned to the lineup ahead of schedule, bumping Damian Jackson to left field and rookie Ben Johnson made his first major league start in right field.

All three of them must have enjoyed their evenings as EY & DJ picked up three hits apiece and Johnson turned in a two run double for his first major league hit as the Padres beat the Giants 5-3 Saturday night at Petco Park. Woody Williams turned in a solid start for the Padres and was rewarded with run support (for once) and a victory to even his record at 4-4 while Trevor Hoffman recorded his 22nd save to tie the Cardinals Jason Isringhausen for the NL lead.

Chris Hammond and Akinori Otsuka continued the trend of excellent bullpen work by bridging the gap between Woody and Hoffy, although Hammond shockingly allowed a run, almost certainly hurting the case Bruce Bochy has been trying to make with Tony LaRussa about getting him named to the NL All-Star team.

The Padres fielded a new look with not only the return of Young at second base and the debut of Johnson in right but normal right fielder Brian Giles moving to center for the third time this year and Xavier Nady getting his second major league turn at first base. Out of the projected regular positions for this team on Opening Day, only the left side of the infield was intact as Sean Burroughs and Khalil Greene were in their normal spots. Robert Fick once again handled the catching duties for the injured Ramon Hernandez.

Comments:
Lynch Mob July 3, 2005 at 12:13 am
Does anyone agree with me that Hammond’s run should have been unearned … that Vizquel’s double should have been E5? It was hit RIGHT AT Burroughs, who dance out of its way trying to “backhand it”! Doug Radar woulda let it hit off his body, picked it up, and thrown him out at first …

Lynch Mob July 3, 2005 at 12:22 am
Two small notes from the Tom Karsoic NOTEBOOK this morning …
Dennys Reyes is to start for the injured Adam Eaton on Tuesday in Houston … OUCH!! NO!!
Bochy said it was Sean Burroughs’ decision to bunt in Friday’s game with Robert Fick on first and none out and the Padres trailing 3-2 in the eights. Burroughs popped out to third … BUT it was Bochy’s decision to have him so high in the lineup … AND it was Sean’s lack of performance (both short term, ie. poor bunt, and long term, see ~.300 SLG) that made his decision look bad …

Rich Campbell July 3, 2005 at 5:26 pm
I agree with the scorer’s decision Lynch…there is a valid reason for calling it the hot corner. I played there in college a few times. The ball gets to you in a major hurry and on a shot like that you are defending yourself more than trying to make a play. It would be awful rough to hang a error there on that kind of shot.

p.friberg July 4, 2005 at 12:42 am
Lynch, I think the more significant thing about Sean bunting and Bochy saying he bunted on his own was that Bochy SAID it. Bochy’s well-liked as a manager by his players for not publicly humiliating them…
If Nevin had done it, Bochy would have said, “Yes, I called the play.”