Decoy Dandy

It was a play that became famous in the 1991 World Series, replayed over and over in baseball lore, and all it involved was a simple deke by Minnesota Twin shortstop Greg Gagne and second baseman Chuck Knoblauch.

Gagne and Knoblauch faked Atlanta Brave outfielder Lonnie Smith into thinking they were turning a double play when the ball was actually hit into the Metrodome outfield in the seventh game of the World Series. Smith was forced to stop at third instead of scoring, and that ultimately cost the Braves the World Series when the Twins won it in the 10th inning.

Now in his first year with the Dodgers, Gagne’s deke of Atlanta outfielder Marquis Grissom on Monday afternoon hardly was as dramatic, but considering the importance the Dodgers were placing on their 1-0 victory over Atlanta, you sure couldn’t tell them differently.

“That was a big play, a huge play,” Dodger catcher Mike Piazza said. “That was as important a play as any in the game. That’s what you need to do to win games, and he picked us up, he sure picked me up.”

The game still scoreless, Grissom walked with one out in the third inning. Grissom then took off for second, and in Piazza’s hurried attempt to get Grissom, his throw sailed into center field.

Grissom could have walked to third base, but he didn’t realize the ball was in the outfield. Gagne pretended the ball was in his glove, and slapped Grissom’s leg.

Grissom didn’t start running until nearly three seconds later when he saw center fielder Brett Butler had the ball.

Butler’s throw to third baseman Mike Blowers was perfect, and instead of one out and Grissom on third, the Braves had two outs and nobody aboard. The inning ended when Jeff Blauser struck out, and the Braves didn’t reach third again until the ninth.

It was the defensive play of the game, and considering what Gagne has endured the past few days, he hopes it might end his defensive slump that led to four errors in three games.

“It kind of stinks when you go through it,” Gagne said, “but it’s just one of those things you go through. Sometimes it can be hard to forget, but you forget it over time.

“I got off to kind of a slow start last year defensively too. I’m just glad we won.”

Gagne, who acknowledged that he was a bit curious about the fans’ reaction when he was introduced to the home crowd--he was loudly cheered--said it’s unfair to blame Grissom for the blunder. Those things happen, he said. Just ask the Dodgers, for whom everything that could go wrong, did in Chicago.

“I know when I got to second base,” Gagne said, “you don’t know where the ball is. But when I saw the ball flying, I said, ‘Well, maybe he can’t see where the throw went.’ ”

Gagne was flawless defensively Monday, showing why he has his teammates raving about his defensive skills.

In the first inning, Fred McGriff hit a high popup toward Gagne, but for several moments, Gagne couldn’t see it. He finally turned around and made a spectacular over-the-shoulder catch that preserved a run.

“I lost it right in the sun,” Gagne said. “I kept saying, ‘Where is it? Where is it?’ I just took off running, and threw out my glove.

“What a day, huh?”