Piazza Injured, Dodgers in Pain : Baseball: They beat Florida, 4-2, but catcher suffers pulled hamstring.

The Dodgers dressed quickly Wednesday night, and while speaking only in whispers and hushed tones, kept their eyes transfixed on the dining table in the middle of the clubhouse.

There sat All-Star catcher Mike Piazza, eating alone, wearing a menacing scowl that ensured no one would dare approach.

The Dodgers may have defeated the Florida Marlins, 4-2, sweeping the first two games of the season in front of a franchise-low 18,857 fans in Joe Robbie Stadium, but not even the thought of returning home could ease their pain.

Piazza, perhaps the finest all-around catcher in baseball, suffered a strained right hamstring that might require a stint on the 15-day disabled list. Piazza, who says he doesn’t believe the hamstring muscle is torn, will be examined today by Dr. Frank Jobe.

Yet, all you need to know about the Dodgers’ grave concern is the immediate reaction by Manager Tom Lasorda. The moment he saw Piazza limping across home plate, Lasorda jumped off the bench and rushed to his side.

“If somebody was robbing your Rolls-Royce,” Lasorda rationalized, “wouldn’t you come out of your house fast?”

Said Dodger starter Tom Candiotti, who yielded six hits and two earned runs in six innings for the victory: “It’s kind of like a drop in your gut. It will definitely affect us. He’s a guy that can carry you for a long time.”

Piazza, batting .571 in the first two games, suffered the injury in the sixth inning. On Eric Karros’ drive to the left-center gap, Piazza took off from first base, rounded second and was waved home when the ball rolled to the wall.

Piazza was about 20 feet from the plate when he felt a sudden pop, then a burning sensation. He limped across the plate, ran off the field and into the clubhouse. He was told by Pat Screnar, physical therapist, that it might not be a serious injury, but it’s obvious that he won’t be playing any time soon.

“I was running pretty good, and then it felt like a pop,” Piazza said, pausing. “It’s disappointing. Real disappointing. We had a little bit of momentum, and I hate to disrupt that momentum.

“I should know more in the next two to three days, but right now, it’s a deep, dull pain.”

Piazza’s injury not only squelched the Dodgers’ celebration and took the luster off Karros’ brilliant performance--three for four, four RBIs, and three diving defensive plays--but overshadowed several intriguing developments.

The Dodgers may have a new closer in Rudy Seanez, a new starter in Tim Belcher and a new reserve third baseman in Dick Schofield.

Seanez, pitching a 1-2-3 ninth inning, was employed as the closer for the second consecutive game. Lasorda said that Todd Worrell remains his closer, but obviously, his actions speak differently.

Candiotti was replaced in the seventh inning by Ismael Valdes, who pitched two scoreless innings. Yet, since Valdes is scheduled to start Saturday, Lasorda pulled him after the eighth and made another call to the bullpen.

It went to Seanez, who until Tuesday never had a save in his career. Now he has two.

“Yeah, I was surprised,” Seanez said, “but I’m enjoying it. We have a lot of guys who can close, but hey, it’s been a pretty exciting two days.”

Worrell, who gave up run-scoring hits to the only two batters he faced in the ninth Tuesday night, didn’t even begin to warm up until there was one out in the ninth.

“I played here two years,” said Worrell, disgustedly, “so it doesn’t surprise me a bit.”

Valdes, the Dodgers’ No. 4 starter, also may find himself in the bullpen mix. Fred Claire, Dodger executive vice president, is actively attempting to acquire free-agent starter Tim Belcher. If successful, Belcher, who pitched for the Dodgers from 1987 to 1991, would join the rotation and Valdes will be in the bullpen.

Then, there was the mystery move in the seventh inning involving Schofield. Although acquired to be the backup shortstop, Schofield played third base for the first time in 12 years, pinch-hitting for Dave Hansen. If Tim Wallach is put on the disabled list, Schofield may have to get used to it.

“It felt a little strange,” Schofield said, “but I’m learning in this league you’ve got to be ready for anything.”