[0] DODGERS TAT-TWO-ED; TATIS MAKES HISTORY: 1 INNING, 2 GRAND SLAMS : ST. LOUIS 12 DODGERS 5.Byline: Brian Dohn Daily News Staff Writer They came to see Mark McGwire He upstaged McGwire's quasi-homecoming by doing something even baseball's top slugger hasn't accomplished. Tatis became the first player in major-league history to hit two grand slams in the same inning, powering the Cardinals to a 12-5 win against the Dodgers in the first of a three-game series Friday night before 46,687 at Dodger Stadium • • [ . Both of Tatis' home runs came in an historic 11-run third inning that also saw the ejection of Dodgers manager Davey Johnson abbr. Baseball runs batted in Noun 1. rbi - a run that is the result of the batter's performance; "he had more than 100 rbi last season" run batted in in the inning is a major-league record and the 11 runs is the most the Dodgers have allowed in an inning since moving from Brooklyn. ``Unbelievable. I still can't believe it,'' said Tatis, St. Louis' 24-year-old third baseman third baseman n. Baseball The infielder stationed near third base. Noun 1. third baseman - (baseball) the person who plays third base third sacker . ``I said, `Wow.' I didn't think (the second one) was going to go. It just happened. I thought, `I'm going to fly.' '' There was no question about either of the homers from the moment they left his bat. Tatis, who went 2 for 5, joins Atlanta's Tony Cloninger Tony Lee Cloninger (born August 13, 1940 in Cherryville, North Carolina) is a former Major League Baseball starting pitcher who played for the Milwaukee and Atlanta Braves (1961-68), Cincinnati Reds (1968-71) and St. Louis Cardinals (1972). He batted and threw right-handed. as the only National League players to hit two grand slams in one game. He's the 10th player in major-league history to do it, and the first since Baltimore's Chris Hoiles Both grand slams came off Dodgers right-hander Chan Ho Park, who entered a dubious club. The only other pitcher to give up two grand slams in the same inning is Pittsburgh's Bill Phillips Bill Phillips can refer to:
``It was just a terrible day,'' Park said. ``I was just concentrating on studying McGwire a lot before the game.'' Park limited McGwire to a single in five at-bats. Next time he'll remember the guy who protects McGwire in the Cardinals' order. Tatis' first homer came on a 2-0 fastball over the middle of the plate, which he belted over the Dodgers' bullpen to give the Cardinals a 4-2 lead. It was his fifth homer of the season. Tatis capped the inning - and Park's night - when he hit a 3-2 curveball over the fence in Verb 1. fence in - enclose with a fence; "we fenced in our yard" fence inclose, shut in, close in, enclose - surround completely; "Darkness enclosed him"; "They closed in the porch with a fence" 2. left center for his second grand slam as St. Louis took an 11-2 lead. ``That was ugly,'' Johnson said. ``Chan Ho looks like he's pitching defensive. He's been real tentative about going at people. He cut off some fastballs and threw some fastballs in the dirt. It's a different pitcher than I saw in the spring when he went after guys.'' Johnson witnessed the first homer from the bench, but he wasn't in the dugout for the second one. He was ejected after arguing with umpire Greg Bonin after Bonin ruled Todd Hundley's foot wasn't on the plate for a force out on Eric Karros' throw home. It allowed Placido Placido may refer to any of the following: People Placido is a traditional Spaniard clan name (see Clan Placido) and it is now a common given name and a less common surname. It is also a fairly common surname in Southern Italy. Polanco to score and gave the Cardinals a 6-2 lead. ``I could see he was out,'' Johnson said. ``I had a better view than the umpire. I thought it was a bad call. Things weren't going any good and I don't like to see a simple play missed.'' Probably for the best, Johnson missed one of the worst innings in Dodgers history. The half-inning took 33 minutes and 44 seconds to complete, during which Park threw 49 pitches. Park (1-2) allowed all 11 runs - six earned - on eight hits in 2-2/3 innings. His ERA sailed from an already hearty 5.29 to 7.32. Park has allowed six homers, including three grand slams, in 19-2/3 innings this season. He allowed 16 home runs in 220-2/3 innings last season. ``It's tough to pitch from behind in the count. That's a big part of it,'' Hundley said. ``It seemed like he was trying to hit his spots instead of being the power pitcher In baseball, a power pitcher is a pitcher who relies on the velocity of his pitches, sometimes at the expense of accuracy. Power pitchers usually record a high number of strikeouts and statistics such as strikeouts per 9 innings pitched are common measures of power. he is and letting it fly.'' After the game Michael Lerner, a Simi Valley resident, presented Tatis with the second home run ball. Lerner said he bought it from a kid in the stands for $80. In exchange, Tatis gave him an autographed jersey and six autographed baseballs. ``This ball belongs in the Hall of Fame,'' Lerner told Tatis. ``I hope they'll send it there.'' CAPTION(S): 3 Photos, Box Photo: (1--Color) Fernando Tatis is congratulated by teammate Mark McGwire after the first of Tatis' two grand slams in third inning. (2) St. Louis' Mark McGwire strikes out in the first inning of the Dodgers' 12-5 loss to St. Louis. Mark J. Terrill/Associated Press (3--Color) Fernando Tatis Box: SLAMMIN' (See text) |
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