Detroit Free Press from Detroit, Michigan • Page 27

Sparky's town doesn't answer cn in Octree Bridgewater doesn't answer. office in Mayberry, where you hist tapped the plunger on the telephone and asked for Sarah. The area code was 605, so I called directory assistance and asked for the Bridgewater mayor's office. The operator had no such listing. "City hall, then." "I'm sorry, we have no such listing." "Fire department" "One moment, please." The number was 729-2461.

1 dialed it. It rang maybe 20 times. No one answered. I called information again. "Bridgewater See MIKE DOWNEY, Page 4D I'm scared, Mommy.

I tried to telephone Sparky Anderson's hometown Friday night, to see if the local folks were watching their little manager trying to win the World Series. But I couldn't get through. I think maybe alien spaceships came down and 'zapped the citizens of Bridgewater with 1 j.y 3 ,) Camay the image kept ashing through my mind of TV: rC, Channel 4 in Detroit Channof 4 pre-f -me at 12:30 p.m. KZC pre-ame st 1 wjb at 1:30 p.m. V.TATTZ?.: Partly su.y, face right-hander Eric CZiZZZ STCnY: Show himscf Pass 3D.

stun-guns. witnout navmg been there, I had this image of a peaceful little Father Knows Best village, with one main drag and one small diner, where every single resident talks exactly like Sparky. While the Tigers were playing ball against the Padres in Game 3, a bunch of the boys sitting around the Bridgewater firehouse, drinking coffee, petting the dalmation and watching good old Georgie Anderson on a portable TV. I wasn't sure what the South Dakota area code was, or if it had more than one, or if it was sort of like Andy Griffith's sheriffs Eric Chow p.ra v.vj Show (1S-3, keeps to rM Saturday, Oct. 13, 1904 Sl3 USES E'M GEORGE PUSCAS SERIES REPORT TIGER CORNER 14 SCOREBOARD 15 Call with sports news: 222-6660 It wasn't pretty, but Tigers take it J- VV Diving for pay Walks tie Series mark By BILL McGRAW Free Press Sports Writer So this is what winning drowsily is like.

Milt Wilcox has had better nights. So has Willie Hernandez. So have the fans. So have Tigers batters. There wasn't a whole lot of hitting, probably because Padres pitchers were intent on walking everybody but the opera star who belted out the National Anthem.

Even the San Diego bullpen proved to have a weak link, allowing its first run in 21 li innings of post-season play. So despite leaving 10 men on base during the first four innings, the Tigers wound up with their second World Series victory Friday night, 5-2, and lead the Padres in the best-of-seven series, two games to one. The Tigers are on target to "close the door," as Chet Lemon put it, and end the Series in Detroit with wins today and Sunday. A Motown mow-down of the Padres would please the people, but Sparky Anderson isn't sold. He's worried because his team tied a Series record by stranding 14 men.

"IT AIN'T going to end here," he said. "I'm glad to hear Sparky said we're going back to San Diego," said Padres manager Dick Williams. "I know we're going back, but I'd like for them to go with us." While the final score was cool with the fans, the final result was mild ennui among many of the 51,970 who squeezed into Tiger Stadium. True, this is the one-and-only Series that's making its first showing here in 16 years. But as the game droned on past See TIGERS, Page 3D Free Press Photo by DAVID C.

TURNLEY tract demands or trade him by March 15. If he is not traded, Hernandez can become a free agent, but forfeit his right of free agency for three years. In any case, Hernandez may become a free agent after next season. "I don't want to be a free agent," Hernandez said. "I want to stay here." Hernandez said he earns $350,000 a year under his current contract, which includes bonuses for a Cy Young Award and All-Star game appearance.

(When asked in August, he recalled the contract is for $1.7 million plus bonuses over three years.) Hernandez also made $70,000 this season under an attendance clause. Hernandez refused to say how See1 HERNANDEZ, age 150 DETROIT FREE PRESS, dirt! Ca tha wild rida THE CATCH: It will be remembered as The Catch. With two outs in the seventh inning, the Padres had already scored once to cut the lead to 5-2 and had another runner perched at third. Terry Kennedy lined a shot to deep center that Chet Lemon ran down about 420 feet from home plate. Story on Page 3D.

Tlgsis box cccro Tigers 5, Padres 2 SAN DIEGO DETROIT brhbi abrhbi Wiggins 2b 12 0 Whltaker 2b 3 1 0 0 Gwvnn rf S12 0 Trammed ss3 I 2 1 Garvey lb 5 0 1 1 Gibson rf 2 0 0 1 Nettles 2 0 0 1 Parrish Kennedy 3 0 0 0 Herndon Bevacqua Jh4 0 1 0 Garbey dh Martinet If 4 0 1 0 Lemon cf 30 10' 40 11 5 0 0 0 5120 Templetn ss 4 0 2 0 Evans lb 2 10 0 Brown cf 3 0 0 0 Bergman ibO 0 0 0 Salazar ph I 0 1 0 Castillo 3b 4 112 Tetah 2 10 2 Tetats 31 2 San Dtova 00) 000 100- 2 Detroit 041 000 00X- 5 Game-winning RBI Castillo (1). LOB San Diego 10, Detroit 14. 2B-Wlgglns, Trammel), Garvey. HR-Casllllo (1). SB-Glbson (2).

SF-Nettles. IP RERBBSO San Diego Lo)lar (L 0-1) 12-3 4 4 4 4 0 Booker 10 114 0 Harris 1-3 3 0 0 3 Detroit Wilcox (W 1-0) Scherrer 0 7 112 4 2-321100 21-3 I 0 0 0 0 Hernandei (S 1) HBP-by Harris (Gibson), WP-LoHar. not my personality to do something Uke that." Castillo had his hands full In the i See CASTILLO, Page 150 Chet Lemon dives safely into first base in beating out a grounder to Garry Templeton in rally-killing catch Friday as the Tigers won Game 3 of the World Series, 5-2 Utility man Castillo proves useful at plate the sixth inning. Lemon got two Iff -w X. a Free Press Photo by DAVID C.

TURNLEY hits, scored once and made a games," Hernandez said. "I don't think they're talking serious. I don't like to talk about it because people have been good to me. "But I have to make them impressed to what I'm worth or they'll take advantage of me and maybe sign me for nothing." Lajoie could not be reached for comment after Hernandez made his remarks. Hernandez said the Tigers have offered a four-year extension to his contract, which has one year to run.

Because he was traded before his current contract expired, Hernandez can demand a trade anytime within two weeks after the Series. If he demands a trade, the Vgers must satisfy his con am aw 1 Ji' 4 Lou Whitaker slides under San Hernandez By BILL McGRAW Free Press Sports Writer Willie Hernandez took time out Friday night from the World Series to open public contract negotiations with the Tigers. A few dozen media members just happened to be standing around. Hernandez is unhappy with the progress of his talks with the Tigers, and says there's a "50-50" chance he might not return next season. "I want to stay," Hernandez said, "but I want them to please me the way I pleased them this year.

I don't see too many good things coming on my side right now." Hernandez has a chance to win the American League most valuable player i r-. -mm Diego catcher Terry Kennedy in the second inning. He scored on Alan Trammell's double. dissatisfied with contract talks 6y CHARLIE VINCENT Free Press Sports Writer In one blazing instant Friday night, Marty Castillo, utility man and locker room joker, became a hero. A single swing of his bat removed him for the time being from anonymity.

His two-run homer into the upper deck in the second inning sent the Tigers on their way to a 5-2 Victory over the San Diego Padres and a 2-1 lead in the World Series. It was, Castillo and manager Sparky Anderson say, a once-in-a-life-time occurrence. "All I want to be known as is a member of the world champion Tigers," said Castillo, who has been the club's starting third baseman in postseason play after starting only 15 games there during the regular season. "I'm not in it for the glory. It's just a great occupation." Castillo can play any position and has.

And once the Series is over, that's exactly what Anderson expects 6f him. "HE'S AN EXCELLENT third baseman. I had no problems with starting him there for the Series," Anderson said. "But his future is backing up third, catching. That'll be his role." 1 Friday, he was a lot like Kurt Bevacqua, the San Diego utility man who homered to beat the Tigers Wednesday.

But he didn't put on the show Bevacqua did, dancing around the bases after his homer. "Marty Castillo isn't Kurt Bevacqua," he said. "Bevacqua has been around. He's established. I could just see myself doing that and (Goose) Gossage knocking me upside the head -the next time I cajhe to the plate.

It's award and Cy Young Award. Manager Sparky Anderson has said repeatedly that Hernandez is the Tigers' MVP. "Some year, Eddie Murray is going to hit 50 home runs and drive in 180 runs," Anderson told reporters Friday. "That's the kind of year Willie had this year. He'll never do it again.

He'll have some good years he better with what we'll be paying him but he can't be expected to do what he did this year." HERNANDEZ SAID he is representing himself in talks with Tigers general manager Bill Lajoie. Their most recent of several meetings, Hernandez sajd, was Oct. 4. "I think they might be playing.