DODGERS DISMAYED IN PRIME TIME SANDERS POWERS REDS' WIN CINCINNATI 7, DODGERS 6.

Byline: Brian Dohn Staff Writer

CINCINNATI - About the only thing Cincinnati left fielder Deion Sanders didn't do was return a punt for a touchdown. But, hey, there's two more games left in the series.

Sanders celebrated his return to the big leagues with three hits, including a three-run homer, and a sacrifice bunt that set up the decisive run as the Cincinnati Reds ended the Dodgers' winning streak at five games with a 7-6 victory Tuesday at Cinergy Field.

``I expect him to do this every night,'' Reds shortstop Barry Larkin said.

Sanders, the Pro Bowl cornerback destined for football's Hall of Fame, provided some visible jolts to the Dodgers, but they weren't the only ones.

Dodgers catcher Paul LoDuca could be lost for an extended period of time after he strained his left oblique during batting practice. Right-hander Eric Gagne had another poor outing that could open the way for rookie Luke Prokopec to earn a spot in the starting rotation if he continues to pitch well.

Clearly, though, Sanders was the centerpiece on a night that will live in Reds lore. The 33-year-old whose hobby was baseball in the past, saw five pitches. He singled in the first inning, homered in the second and had a bunt single in the fifth. And after the Dodgers rallied from a five-run deficit to tie the score at 6 in the top of the seventh, Sanders' sacrifice in the bottom of the inning set up Dmitri Young's RBI single.

And on his every move, be it with a bat or merely catching a fly ball, the crowd roundly cheered Sanders.

``I wish my vocabulary was equipped enough to explain (the emotions),'' Sanders said. ``You have to understand how moved I was, teary moved. This is the first time in sports I felt appreciated. If the moment never happens again, I felt appreciated.''

Forgive the Dodgers if they don't revel in the mystique of the night. They have other concerns.

LoDuca was in the starting lineup for the first time since straining his left hamstring April 19, only to be scratched. The Dodgers said LoDuca's status is day to day, but they are experienced in strained obliques and understand it could be longer. In the last two years, Todd Hollandsworth missed 23 days and Todd Hundley was out 26 days with strained obliques.

``We'll have a better judgment tomorrow of just how severe it is,'' Dodgers trainer Stan Johnston said. ``Hitting is going to be his worst thing, but his position is a big factor, also.''

Gagne wasn't involved in the decision despite his shortest outing of the season. He allowed five runs in four innings and has a 10.00 ERA in his last two starts. He was pulled after just 66 pitches and the Dodgers trailing 6-1 thanks to a five-run second inning.

Meanwhile, Prokopec, slated to pitch the series finale Thursday, is 2-0 with a 2.61 ERA. And the most impressive aspect of his three starts is he hasn't walked a batter in 20 2/3 innings. A decision on a fifth starter could come in a week, if Andy Ashby can return from injury.

``We'll have to go back and ask ourselves, from this pitching staff's standpoint, who the best people are at that particular time,'' Dodgers manager Jim Tracy said. ``We're not to that bridge yet. Eric was just inconsistent with his offspeed.''

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Photo:

Cincinnati's Deion Sanders acknowledges the crowd after hitting a three-run homer in the second inning Tuesday against the Dodgers.

Tony Tribble/Associated Press