DODGERS HAVE GREAT TIME AT REUNION : DODGERS 4 NEW YORK 3.Byline: Matt McHale Daily News Staff Writer On the first night of the big reunion, the Dodgers had the last dance. They had come to Shea Stadium • • [ Friday hoping Mike Piazza Michael Joseph Piazza (born September 4, 1968 in Norristown, Pennsylvania) is an American Major League Baseball player who currently plays for the Oakland Athletics. He began his career with the Los Angeles Dodgers and played for the Florida Marlins, New York Mets, San Diego Padres and Hideo Nomo Hideo Nomo (born Aug. 31, 1968 , Osaka, Japan) Japanese baseball pitcher whose success with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1995 created new opportunities for Asian players in Major League Baseball. had gotten really homely since joining the New York Mets
Instead, the Dodgers found a rare beauty in Roger Cedeno, whose two-out, ninth-inning triple started a three-run rally that led to a 4-3 victory in front of 49,407. Although the Dodgers already were excited about the acquisition of left-hander Carlos Perez and infielder 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 just before the game, it was the comeback that created the biggest buzz. It didn't hurt that Piazza grounded into two double plays, nearly lined into a third and got booed after every at-bat. But this was not a night for sneering. There was too much else going on. Eric Young Eric Young can refer to:
n. 1. Baseball A pitched ball that curves in the direction opposite to that of a normal curve ball. 2. Slang An eccentric, impulsively whimsical, or irrational person. adj. through Piazza's legs for a wild pitch, the Dodgers' day was complete. ``A lot of big things happened today and it looks like all of them good,'' said first baseman Eric Karros The Dodgers remain 4-1/2 games behind In sports, the phrase games behind, often abbreviated as GB in tables, is a common way to reflect the gap between a leading team and another team in a sports league, conference, or division. Chicago for the wild-card spot, but they moved within a half-game of the Mets, who fell behind San Francisco San Francisco (săn frănsĭs`kō), city (1990 pop. 723,959), coextensive with San Francisco co., W Calif., on the tip of a peninsula between the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay, which are connected by the strait known as the Golden . Young, who has been sidelined with a strained left thigh, learned he was activated when Wilton Guerrero was pulled from the starting lineup just moments before gametime. ``I was surprised, but I was ready to go,'' said Young, who grew up in nearby New Brunswick, N.J. ``This was a big night for me. I'm from here and I played my first game here after I was traded to the Dodgers last year. I always want to do well here. I want us to do well here.'' Because Raul Mondesi is out with a bad back that could force him to miss a few more days, Trenidad Hubbard started in center. That made the Dodgers stay with Matt Luke against the left-handed Franco (0-4), and Luke opened with a single to left. It seemed like a meaningless hit after Adrian Beltre and Charles Johnson struck out. Cedeno batted for eventual winning pitcher Antonio Osuna (6-0) and tripled high off the wall in right-center, scoring Luke and cutting the lead to 3-2. The Dodgers brought in Tom Prince to bat, and Franco threw a screwball in the dirt that skidded through Piazza's legs and allowed Cedeno to tie the game. Prince then singled and came around when Young doubled to the wall in left-center. The crowd was stunned, but regained its composure and booed Franco off the field. He responded by making an obscene gesture. ``We saw Cedeno coming off the bench and we just went after him,'' Piazza said. ``He really hit that ball. On the wild pitch, he just buried the screwball and I never had a chance.'' Piazza didn't get too excited about the four-game weekend series against his former team, either. Nomo pitches Sunday against Brian Bohanon, who was traded from the Mets to the Dodgers for Greg McMichael, who came over from New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of for Dave Mlicki. ``There has been so much movement over there that there aren't really that many guys I still know,'' Piazza said. ``I know it doesn't seem possible that this could have been just another game, but it seemed that way.'' DODGERS vs. N.Y. METS Time: 4:10 p.m., Shea Stadium. TV/Radio: Channel 5; 1150-AM, KWKW 1330-AM (Spanish). Matchup: In the second of four games with the Mets, new Dodgers left-hander Carlos Perez (7-10, 3.75) faces right-hander Rick Reed (11-7, 2.75). Reed was a member of the National League All-Star team and is sixth in the league with a 2.75 ERA. Reed lost his last start to the Chicago Cubs, allowing five hits and two runs in six innings. - Matt McHale CAPTION(S): 2 Photo, 2 Boxes Photo: (1--Color) Dodgers second baseman Eric Young, left, throws to first base for a double play after forcing the Mets' John Olerud. John Dunn/Associated Press (2--Color) PIAZZA Box: (1) NO DELIVERY (2) DODGERS vs. N.Y. METS (See Text) |
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