Padres leadoff hitter Jody Gerut had gone more than three years without putting down a sacrifice bunt when he was ordered to bunt over two baserunners in the eighth inning of Tuesday's game.
“Last time I sacrifice bunted was 2004,” Gerut said yesterday.
Gerut sat out the 2005 and '06 seasons because of a knee injury. He made no sacrifice bunts in 2007 or in 27 games this season with Triple-A Portland.
Tuesday, Gerut looked like a guy who hadn't bunted since 2004. He failed at bunting and struck out, a key play in a wasted opportunity.
“No excuses,” Gerut said. “You've got to execute.”
Said manager Bud Black: “In the eighth inning, I think if you get a guy to third base with less than two outs there, the probability of getting that run in heightens tremendously. That has to be part of Jody's game. The type of player that Jody is, he should be a player who can do everything to help you win a game – steal a base, get a bunt down, get a guy over, throw a guy out. I think he's a complete player.”
Gerut, who had three sacrifices for the Indians in 2004, said he had a drag-bunt single this year. He rated it more difficult to sacrifice than to bunt for a single.
Notes
Black said it wasn't a difficult decision to remove Jake Peavy from Tuesday's game with the Padres down 1-0 entering the bottom of the sixth. Peavy had thrown 106 pitches, his highest total since May 9. “He also had worked very hard to get through the fifth inning,” Black said.
Black said that even after catcher Josh Bard leaves the disabled list – which won't happen for at least two weeks – he still will experience discomfort in his left ankle owing to the high ankle sprain he suffered May 21.
Second baseman Tadahito Iguchi, who separated his throwing shoulder on June 3, is at least three weeks from returning, Black said. Since Iguchi went on the DL, his backup, Edgar Gonzalez, had batted .324 with eight doubles, a home run, four walks and 18 strikeouts in 71 at-bats entering play last night.
Black on why he had utilityman Craig Stansberry instead of pitcher Greg Maddux attempt a sacrifice Tuesday, even though Maddux might be the better bunter: “You run the risk there when you send Greg up, as good a bunter as he is, they know he's bunting. Boy, that third baseman, he'll be right there. But there could be a time when that happens.” After failing to bunt, Stansberry hit a pinch single.
After three consecutive games without allowing a home run, Maddux has allowed a home run in each of the past three games, each against an American League club.
Tom Krasovic: (619) 293-2207; tom.krasovic@uniontrib.com
