WEAVER GETS HIS REVENGE CASTOFF BEATS FORMER TEAM DODGERS 6, YANKEES 3.

Byline: Tony Jackson  Staff Writer

The historical significance might have been lost on the players, most of whom were too young to remember the last time the Dodgers and New York Yankees met in a World Series. But it wasn't lost on the largest regular-season crowd in Dodger Stadium history, several of whom undoubtedly had been there for the Yankees' last visit some 23 years earlier.

That crisp, autumn weekend featured three one-run games, all filled with tension and all won by the home team before the Dodgers headed back to New York to close out the Series in six.

This one was won by the home team as well, a 6-3 Los Angeles victory Friday that featured everything a Yankees-Dodgers matchup should.

The Dodgers broke a 3-3 tie in the sixth. Adrian Beltre led off with a single, moved to third on two wild pitches and jogged home when Juan Encarnacion lined a double into the left field corner. Encarnacion then scored on a throwing error by Yankees pitcher Javier Vazquez.

The Dodgers dealt the crushing blow in the seventh when Milton Bradley, who had drawn a leadoff walk, scored on Paul Lo Duca's single.

And when it was over, a sellout crowd of 55,207 partied like it was 1981.

The Dodgers (36-28) ran their winning streak to four. They now have beaten the Yankees five consecutive times over the past 24 years, a streak that began when Fernando Valenzuela went to the mound for Game 3 without his best stuff and gutted his way to a complete-game victory.

That performance officially turned the tide after the Dodgers had dropped the first two games in New York. Fittingly, the retired Valenzuela threw out the ceremonial first pitch in this long-awaited rematch. Also fittingly, Dodgers right-hander Jeff Weaver followed with an effort reminiscent of the one Valenzuela had on that long-ago Friday evening.

Weaver clearly wasn't at his best, but he clearly didn't care. This was a game he had no intention of losing. He turned in six solid, if unspectacular, innings, allowed seven hits and wriggled out of several jams en route to earning the win.

Weaver froze Miguel Cairo to end the second inning with a runner on third. After Jason Giambi's hit made it 3-0 in the fourth, Weaver retired the next nine batters. And with two outs in the sixth, with the bases loaded after an intentional walk to Derek Jeter, Weaver got Vazquez on a sinking liner to second baseman Alex Cora.

Weaver (5-7) was rewarded moments later when Beltre started the winning rally. By the time the inning ended, Weaver had been lifted for a pinch hitter.

Beyond good pitching, though, this game had all the critical elements of a Dodgers-Yankees matchup. All that was missing was the red-white-and-blue bunting.

There was spectacular defense, such as the unforgettable play in the top of the fifth inning when Dodgers shortstop Cesar Izturis dived hard to his right to stop a grounder by Jeter. Izturis got up and, with his momentum carrying him in the opposite direction, threw out the speedy Jeter by a step.

There was timely hitting, such as the two-out, two-run single by Dave Roberts that tied it in the fourth.

There were glaring mistakes, like Weaver giving up a leadoff double to opposing pitcher Javier Vazquez in the latter's first at-bat of the season in the third, starting a three-run Yankees rally. Another came from Giambi, the Yankees first baseman who made a high throw to second on a potential force play, keeping the Dodgers breathing in what became their own three-run rally.

Mostly, though, there were compelling story lines, a must for any game involving teams from the nation's two largest media markets. None was more intriguing than that of Weaver, who took the mound against his former club just eight months after throwing a pitch that will forever live in infamy in the rich history of the 26-time world champion Yankees.

By last October, Weaver's year-and-a-half stay in New York already had turned sour, leaving him banished to the bullpen and gathering dust in a postseason when manager Joe Torre clearly didn't want to use him. Finally, with Game 4 against Florida deep into extra innings and Torre without an alternative, Weaver came on to pitch one perfect inning, then gave up a leadoff homer to Marlins shortstop Alex Gonzalez to begin the 12th.

The Marlins won the game, tied the Series and turned the tide.

It was the last pitch Weaver would throw for the Yankees, who traded him to his hometown Dodgers on Dec. 13. As luck and the Dodgers rotation would have it, Weaver got the ball for the opener of the first regular-season meeting between the two clubs.

Tony Jackson, [phone]

tony.jackson(at)dailynews.com

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Photo:

Adrian Beltre beats the tag from New York Yankees first baseman Miguel Cairo during the Dodgers' 6-3 victory Friday night at Dodger Stadium.

Tom Mendoza/Staff Photographer

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