Reds Are Missing, but Giants Celebrate Title With Party at Craig’s Home

SAN DIEGO —  Roger Craig threw a little party for the San Francisco Giants at his home near San Diego Thursday, and because of the Cincinnati Reds, the get-together was a celebration.

Craig would have liked to include the Cincinnati players on the guest list, but they’ll be traveling.

The San Francisco manager did, however, figure out one way to express his gratitude for the Reds’ 13-inning, 2-1 victory over San Diego Wednesday night that gave the Giants the National League West title and a playoff date against the East champion Chicago Cubs beginning next Wednesday night in Chicago.

“I’m going to send (Red Manager) Tommy Helms a quarter of a share,” Craig said late Wednesday night after he and his players--who had just lost, 1-0, to the Dodgers--learned that the Reds had eliminated the second-place San Diego Padres from the West race.

After being swept in three games by the Dodgers, matching their longest losing streak of 1989, Craig and his players spent a tense hour and a half in the clubhouse waiting for the game in San Diego to end.

Had the Padres won, the Giants would have faced a weekend series in San Diego needing a victory to clinch the West. Those final three regular-season games now are meaningless.

The Giants became fervent Red fans during the clubhouse wait, listening to the game from San Diego on the radio and cheering for Cincinnati.

When the game finally ended, there were shouts of joy--and relief.

“Whew,” first baseman Will Clark said. “We’re all glad it’s over.”

Looking ahead to the best-of-seven matchup with the Cubs, Craig said he plans to use Scott Garrelts, 14-5 after Wednesday night’s loss to the Dodgers and still the NL earned-run average leader, in the opening game of the playoffs, then go with Rick Reuschel (17-7) in the second game. The Cubs will open with Greg Maddux (19-12) and follow with Mike Bielecki (18-7).

The Giants had a 6-6 record against the Cubs this season, with the teams splitting six games at both Candlestick Park and Wrigley Field.

Craig said there are similarities between his team and the Cubs, who are managed by Don Zimmer, a former teammate of Craig’s with the Dodgers in Brooklyn and Los Angeles, and later with the New York Mets.

“I think we’re a little like Zimmer’s club,” Craig said. “Nobody expected us to be here.”

Craig said he was one of those that didn’t expect the Cubs to win the NL East but added that they earned the title.

The Giants will be shooting for their first NL pennant since 1962, the year slugging outfielder Kevin Mitchell was born. The Cubs haven’t won a pennant since 1945, when Craig and Zimmer were 14.

San Francisco won the NL West title in 1987 but, hampered by injuries, finished fourth in the division last year, 11 1/2 games behind the Dodgers, who went on to win the World Series.

This year, the Giants were alone in first place after June 17.