BOTH MASTERFUL AND MEMORABLE HERGES WINS FIRST MAJOR LEAGUE GAME DODGERS 9, REDS 2.Byline: Brian Dohn Staff Writer CINCINNATI - Matt Herges Matthew Tyler Herges (born April 1, 1970, in Champaign, Illinois) is a Major League Baseball pitcher. He is an alumnus of Illinois State University. Signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers as an amateur free agent in 1992, Herges would make his Major League Baseball debut with mistook the count and thought he walked, so he jogged down to first only to learn it was ball three. He struck out on the next pitch and afterward wondered just how embarrassing the blunder was to his family. Uh, not quite. Not with the Herges household in attendance to watch the 30-year-old win for the first time in the major leagues. Herges' masterful streak continued with another unreal relief effort as he pitched 2 2/3 hitless innings before Kevin Elster Elster played for six different ballclubs during his career: the New York Mets (1986-1992), New York Yankees (1994-1995), Philadelphia Phillies (1995), broke open the game with a ninth-inning grand slam grand slam n. 1. The winning of all the tricks during the play of one hand in bridge and other whist-derived card games. 2. Sports The winning of all the major or specified events, especially on a professional circuit. as the Dodgers beat Cincinnati 9-2 Friday at a cold, damp Cinergy Field. After 300 appearances in minor league games, all in the Dodgers' organization, and another 23 with the Dodgers, Herges (1-0) finally has a win. ``I'd like to sit back and enjoy, but I can't,'' said Herges, who's allowed three hits and no runs in 11 innings this season. ``I still have a lot of options, still get sent down, so a lot of things can happen. I am enjoying it, believe me, but I can't rest on it. No way, because that's when the hits start coming, and the runs.'' Making the moment more memorable for Herges was the presence of seven family members, including his brother, Toby, whom Matt draws inspiration from. Toby is recovering from brain cancer surgery, and the family made the trip from nearby Champagne, Ill. ``I'm grateful for a lot of things,'' Herges said. ``One, I make the roster. Two, I get in that opening day game and (manager) Davey (Johnson) keeps throwing me out there. I'm grateful, big time.'' Herges began the season as nothing more than an insurance policy in case a few of the Dodgers' starters were rocked. His quick bounce-back arm made him a natural for long relief and blowouts, but his performance pushed him into more meaningful moments. So when starter Eric Gagne's pitch-count rose to 117 after 4 1/3 innings, Herges was called upon with runners on first and third, one out and the Dodgers leading 5-2. And on his second pitch, switch-hitting Dmitri Young Dmitri Dell Young (born October 11 1973, Vicksburg, Mississippi) is a Major League Baseball player. He is the starting first baseman of the Washington Nationals. His nickname is "Da Meat Hook. grounded into a double play. ``Eric doesn't have that pitch to get that ground ball, where Herges does - the sinker Sinker A bond whose payments are provided by the issuer's sinking fund. Notes: A portion of these bonds are retired by the issuer each year. See also: Sinking Fund, Super Sinker Sinker to get the ground ball,'' said catcher Todd Hundley Todd made his major league debut with the New York Mets on May 18, 1990 when he was only 20 years old. , who was a triple shy of the cycle. ``The last couple of days I found some keys to my swing. I was kind of lost for a while.'' Hundley's homer was his third of the season and Mark Grudzielanek Mark James Grudzielanek (born June 30, 1970 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin) is a second baseman in Major League Baseball who currently plays for the Kansas City Royals. Previously, Grudzielanek played with the Montreal Expos (1995-1998), Los Angeles Dodgers (1998-2002), Chicago Cubs and Adrian Beltre added two-run singles for the Dodgers. Terry Adams
At Mary G. Montgomery High School he went 12-2 with a 1. pitched the final two innings for his second save. Though Gagne didn't last long enough to earn the decision, he did stem Cincinnati's momentum in the second inning by working out of a mess. Reds starter Steve Parris Steve Parris (born December 17, 1967 in Joliet, Illinois), is a retired professional baseball player who pitched in Major League Baseball from 1995-2003. The most important start of his professional career came on October 4, 1999, when his Cincinnati Reds faced the New York Mets in (1-3) doubled with the bases loaded to pull Cincinnati within 3-2 with none out. But Gagne struck out Pokey Reese ``You're in a pretty tight game there for a little bit, and to get (Gagne) through those tough innings, that's big,'' Hundley said. ``Herges is throwing the ball harder, hiding the ball. His ball has a lot more action on it.'' Herges and Adams made the Dodgers' 5-2 lead stand until recently recalled Reds reliever Norm Charlton went wild in the ninth. He walked the bases loaded and Elster nailed the first pitch he saw and drove it deep into the left field seats for his third career grand slam, and first since Aug. 5, 1996, when he did it against the Chicago White Sox The Chicago White Sox are a professional baseball team based in Chicago, Illinois. The White Sox are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the White Sox have played in U.S. as a member of the Texas Rangers. ``I didn't want to get behind in the count (against Charlton) because he's got such a nasty split-finger (pitch), so I was just jumping on the first fastball I saw,'' Elster said. ``He got it up, and fortunately I got a good piece of it.'' CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Todd Hundley of the Dodgers is met by teammate Adrian Beltre after hitting a second-inning home run Friday in Cincinatti. Al Behlman/Associated Press |
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