Piazza Provides Huge Lift

It figures to be one of many home runs that Dodger catcher Mike Piazza will hit this season.

It wasn’t a tape-measure blast. And anything resembling a stretch drive is four months away.

Yet, when Piazza’s three-run shot cleared the right-field fence in the eighth inning here Tuesday, giving the Dodgers a 3-2 victory over the Atlanta Braves, his teammates felt as if their season had been given new life.

“That was huge,” first baseman Eric Karros said. “This team needed something like that. Especially to win in that fashion. It was the biggest hit of the year. It was big not only for the team, but even more for him.

“And it was more important for this team that he hit the homer, than say [Greg] Gagne or someone else. He could go on a tear now.”

Piazza’s homer off reliever Brad Clontz ended the Dodgers’ four-game losing streak and might have awakened a slumbering offense that has been largely responsible for their 9-12 record.

The star-studded lineup--five players either batted .300 or hit more than 20 home runs last season--has flopped in the first three weeks. The Dodgers are hitting .236 with a major league-low 39 extra-base hits. They rank among the three worst National League clubs in 11 offensive categories.

And they were only five outs from trying to explain another disappointing performance Tuesday and falling 5 1/2 games behind the San Diego Padres in the West Division.

Then, along came Piazza, who is hitting .350, but had only one homer.

The Dodgers felt relief when the inning began and they didn’t see Brave starter Tom Glavine. He had seven shutout innings in a game that included 2 hours 12 minutes of rain delays, and Manager Bobby Cox turned to Greg McMichael.

McMichael retired pinch-hitter Milt Thompson, then walked Brett Butler. Chad Fonville, the catalyst of last year’s offense but starting for the first time this season, slapped a single up the middle. Cox went to the bullpen again, bringing in submarine pitcher Brad Clontz.

Piazza, who had grounded into a double play in the first inning, stepped to the plate and watched Clontz’s first pitch sail wide. He swung at the second, a fastball, and watched it take off. “I knew I hit it pretty good,” Piazza said. “If I didn’t hit it out, I would have thought of retiring. I would have wondered where my strength went.”

And although the Dodgers keep saying that it’s only April, far too early to be excited or concerned about anything, Piazza sprinted around the basepaths and slapped hands so hard that his palms ached.

“You try to keep it in perspective, but it’s been a real frustrating week for us,” he said. “I tried to stay composed, but I couldn’t help myself. I was pumped. Hopefully, this will be the spark that picks us up.”

Closer Todd Worrell, who has not had a save opportunity since April 11, kept his record perfect by pitching the final 1 1/3 innings for his fourth save. He has yet to permit a run in 8 2/3 innings.

“I didn’t have my best stuff out there, but it would have been a disaster to let that one get away,” Worrell said.

Chan Ho Park lasted only four innings, giving up Fred McGriff’s two-run double in the first, but the bullpen yielded only two hits over the final five innings, Antonio Osuna (2-2) picking up the victory.

“Hopefully, this is what will turn it around for us,” Butler said. “We haven’t played the way we’ve wanted, but come on, it’s early.

“Come on, you can’t tell me that Eric [Karros] is going to hit .210 or .220 all year. You can’t tell me that Mike is going to hit just two homers all year. I’m not going to be [striking out] 15 to 20 times a month and not lay down a bunt all year.

“I know I can bunt. Eric knows he can hit. Mike knows he can hit homers. It’s just a matter of getting it done.”