WORLD SERIES: CINCINNATI 5, OAKLAND 4 : Browning Gets the Call--Twice

Cincinnati Red pitcher Tom Browning, who is scheduled to start Game 3 of the World Series on Friday night, left Riverfront Stadium during Game 2 Wednesday night after learning that his wife had gone into labor.

But when it looked as though the Reds might run short of pitchers, he was summoned back via a radio message broadcast by Marty Brennaman, the Cincinnati play-by-play announcer.

Browning left the ballpark after being notified that his wife, Debbie, entered a hospital, a Red spokesman said. The game went into extra innings and Cincinnati, which is carrying only nine pitchers and had used five of them, were down to Randy Myers and Rick Mahler.

The Reds asked Brennaman to request that Browning return. It was not known if Browning heard the plea or whether he returned to the stadium.