This Date In Padre Baseball - October 12

                  

THIS DATE IN PADRE BASEBALL

1998 SEASON

NLCS Game 5 - Braves 7 Padres 6 (Padres lead series 3-2)

The Padres, again struck first, this time on a Ken Caminiti 2-run home run in the first off John Smoltz.

By the 6th, the Braves clawed their way back to a 2-2 tie against Andy Ashby. In the bottom of the 6th, John Vander Wal would connect for his own 2-run home run to retake the lead.

In the 7th, Bruce Bochy brought out Mark Langston, who surrendered a single, and then Bochy pulled him and brought in Kevin Brown, who delighted the crowd by setting down 3 Braves in order to end the brief spark of hope.

But in the 8th, Brown's magic wore off in a big way - a 3 run home run by Michael Tucker chased Brown from the game, but the Braves were not done, and tacked on 2 more for a huge 5 run inning.

Down 7-4, with the threat of the series moving back to Atlanta, the Friar Faithful stayed loud and cheered on the Padres in the 9th. After Mark Sweeney walked, Greg Myers pinch hit for Chris Gomez and stunned Kerry Ligtenberg with a home run to deep right field.

Taking no chances, Bobby Cox brought out Greg Maddux to secure the win. The Padres got the matchup they wanted, as Steve Finley walked to bring up Tony Gwynn with 2 outs. This time, Maddux won the battle of future hall of famers, with Gwynn grounding out to first to send the series back to Atlanta, with all the momentum with the Braves.

MLB PLAYOFFS - 

Yankees vs Indians off day (Yankees lead series 3-2)

Notable games of October 12

PADRES FRANCHISE RECORD ON THIS DATE = 0-2

1984 WORLD SERIES GAME 3 - TIGERS 5 PADRES 2 (DETROIT LEADS SERIES 2-1)

The series moves on to Detroit, where the Tigers won 53 games during the 1984 season, and a thirsty Tiger crowd looking to win a world series for the first time since 1968.

Once again a big early inning chases a Padre starter, this time Tim Lollar allowed 4 runs in 1 2/3 innings. The Padres scraped one run together in the 3rd, but after 2 singles to start the inning, 3 consecutive outs erased the rally.

Down 5-1, Craig Nettles hit a sacrifice fly, just missing a 3 run home run, to score Tony Gwynn to make the score 5-2.

Willie Hernandez shut down the Padres in the 9th to secure the win and let the Tigers take a 2-1 series advantage. 

Transactions of October 12

1995

Released Donnie Elliott.

• P Elliott, acquired from the Atlanta Braves via trade in 1993, made his MLB debut as a Padre on April 23, 1994, and would appear in 31 games (1 start) over 2 seasons, posting a 0-1 record with a 3.09 ERA.

1999

Stan Spencer granted Free Agency.

• P Spencer, signed as a free agent in 1997, made his MLB debut as a Padre on August 27, 1998, and would appear in 23 games (21 starts) over 3 seasons, posting a  3-9 record with a 5.54 ERA.

Signed J.J. Trujillo as a free agent.

• P Trujillo would go on to make his MLB debut as a Padre on June 11, 2002 and would appear in 4 games during the 2002 season, posting a 0-1 record with a 10.13 ERA. Traded to the Kansas City Royals on March 30, 2004.

2000

Desi Relaford selected by the New York Mets off waivers.

• IF Relaford, acquired from the Philadelphia Phillies via trade in August, appeared in 45 games during the 2000 season, hitting .204 with 2 HR and 16 RBI.

2004

Steve Watkins granted Free Agency.

• P Watkins, selected in the 16th round of the 1998 draft, would make his MLB debut as a Padre on August 21, 2004  and go on to appear in 11 games during the 2004 season, posting no record with a 6.28 ERA.

2006

Released Mark Bellhorn.

• IF Bellhorn, signed as a free agent in 2005, appeared in 115 games during the 2006 season, hitting .190 with 8 HR and 27 RBI.

Selected Justin Hampson off waivers from the Colorado Rockies.

• P Hampson would appear in 74 games over 2 seasons, posting a 4-4 record with a 2.79 ERA. Released in April 2009.

2009

Eliezer Alfonzo granted Free Agency.

• C Alfonzo, signed as a free agent in 2008, appeared in 37 games during the 2009 season, hitting .175 with 2 HR and 8 RBI.