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 Bronx Flu fells Padres
Posted: Monday October 19, 1998 01:40 AM
NEW YORK (AP) -- The San Diego Padres came down with a bad case of the Bronx Flu. They were feverish, shaky, injured, rattled. And now they're hurting pretty badly in the World Series, having dropped the first two games to the New York Yankees after a disastrous 9-3 loss Sunday night. The perplexed looks and long faces told the story. And now, if the Padres can't rally at home Tuesday and Wednesday nights, this will be even more embarrassing than their only other World Series appearance, when they lost in five games to the Detroit Tigers in 1984. "We've got to keep our chins up," said third baseman Ken Caminiti, who committed a key error in the first inning. "Right now we've just got to let this game go." A day after ace Kevin Brown complained of a sinus infection and fever, starter Andy Ashby came down with a cold and a sore throat. He sat in the dugout with his head in his left hand, then a towel over his mouth after lasting just 2 2-3 innings, the shortest outing by a San Diego starter all year. Ashby's voice was scratchy and he seemed congested, but he said his affliction wasn't responsible for the Padres' loss. "Me not making the pitches was the reason," he said. "I never really got into a groove because I was behind in the count. I never got into a rhythm where I could use all my pitches." Pitching coach Dave Stewart leaned against the top step in the dugout and held his chin in his hand when Ashby struggled in the second inning. Ashby left trailing 7-0 in the third after allowing 10 hits. Manager Bruce Bochy said some sort of flu bug spread among the team, including Ashby, Brown and Game 3 starter Sterling Hitchcock.
"I don't know how they got sick, I don't know who the host is here, but somebody spread something around," Bochy said. "It seems like it has hit the pitchers more than anybody." Bochy said at least Brown is taking antibiotics. But there's no antidote for bad fielding. Caminiti committed a throwing error in the first inning that led to three unearned runs. "My ball was an easy ball to catch and throw," Caminiti said. "I just backed up and let it go high." Second baseman Quilvio Veras had a groin injury and shortstop Chris Gomez a calf injury. Greg Vaughn, who drove in three runs on two homers in Saturday night's 9-6 loss, was used as the designated hitter rather than starting in left field because he was feeling pain in his left quadriceps. Just like in 1984, the Padres are up against the team that had baseball's best record. And their pitching and defense, largely responsible for getting them here, have picked a bad time to turn lousy. With Chuck Knoblauch on second and one out in the first, Caminiti fielded Paul O'Neill's two-hopper. He had plenty of time, but inexplicably didn't set himself and his high throw bounced off first baseman Wally Joyner's glove, allowing Knoblauch to score. After retiring Bernie Williams, Ashby allowed three straight singles to fall behind 3-0. Williams' two-out, two-run homer capped the Yankees' three-run second. Bochy finally saw enough after Ricky Ledee's RBI double with two outs in the third and pulled Ashby. Brian Boehringer, who had a 0.00 ERA in four postseason appearances, allowed Jorge Posada's two-run homer in the fifth.
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