Kirby Finds Himself in Dream Land

Wayne Kirby used to lay awake each night in his cramped, dingy hotel room along the minor-league circuit, making stops from Great Falls, Mont. to Vero Beach, Fla., dreaming one day of being the Dodgers’ starting center fielder.

The dream ended six years ago when he left the organization. He signed with the Cleveland Indians, even made it to the World Series, but there always was that nagging feeling of something missing.

Who would have imagined that 13 years after being drafted by the Dodgers, Kirby not only would become their starting center fielder, but perhaps solve their leadoff hitter problems?

“Only in Hollywood, man, only in Hollywood,” Kirby said.

Kirby sparked the Dodgers to a wild 7-6 victory Sunday over the San Francisco Giants at Candlestick Park, and moments later, he was pronounced by Dodger interim Manager Bill Russell as his starting center fielder and leadoff hitter.

Kirby became the first Dodger this season to lead off the game with a homer, went three for four with a double, and laid down a sacrifice bunt that led to the winning run in the ninth inning. In two days, he has reached base seven times, going six for seven with two doubles, one homer and two runs.

“For nine years I wanted this,” Kirby said, “but I never got a call-up from them. Now it happens. I can thank the Dodgers for hanging with me for nine years because it made me a better ballplayer. And I can thank them for picking me up off waivers.

“Don’t get me wrong, the World Series was fun. It was great being there. But when you can be out there every day playing in front of everybody, and have an impact on the course of a World Series, now that can be fun.

“That’s what I want.”

The Dodgers (52-48), who had a team meeting before the game, won for only the third time in nine games. Yet, once again, the Dodgers hardly made it easy. They blew their fourth save opportunity in four games when their 6-2 lead in the seventh vanished on a run-scoring single by Barry Bonds, and a three-run, pinch-hit homer by Dave McCarty.

The difference this time was the Dodgers came back. They scored a run in the ninth when Eric Karros, who had more errors than hits since July 4--five to three--hit a two-out single off the left-field wall to score Greg Gagne for a 7-6 lead.

“The way I’ve been swinging, I just wanted to get a hit,” said Karros, who went three for five, snapping out of a .111 slump the last nine games.

Russell turned again to closer Todd Worrell. Worrell blew a save opportunity Saturday in the Dodgers’ 7-6 loss, but he didn’t think twice of trusting him again.

“The hardest thing to do,” Worrell said, “is to come back in the same situation and turn it into a good outing.

“In fact, if I had any dislike of the job I do, the last two days are it.”

Worrell, facing the heart of the Giant lineup, retired Kim Batiste on a pop-up to third base. But Matt Williams then singled to center, bringing up Barry Bonds. Worrell got ahead of Bonds, 1-and-2, thought he struck him out on a 2-2 pitch, but wound up walking him.

Now, with runners on first and second and only one out, Worrell realized a single could ruin yet another game. He struck out Steve Scarsone and ended the game when McCarty hit a line drive. . . . right into the glove of shortstop Gagne.

The Dodgers’ victory lifted them to 11-11 in a stretch against their counterparts in the National League West. They started with a two-game lead, and finished with a one-game deficit. They won’t see another NL West team until Sept. 16.

If it’s going to be a meaningful stretch, the Dodgers certainly will have to play better baseball. Russell emphasized the importance of execution and fundamentals during his meeting, telling them some of the recent mistakes are intolerable.

“It’s been a strange season,” Karros said. “There are times we can play as good as anybody in the league. And there are times we play as bad as anybody. It looks like it’s going to come down to those last two weeks.”

The Dodgers finish this stretch learning little more about themselves than before. They realize they won’t have third baseman Mike Blowers for the rest of the season, but don’t know whether Mike Busch can do the job, whether Kirby can be an everyday center fielder, and whether rookie left fielder Todd Hollandsworth can continue his torrid pace.

Hollandsworth had three more hits--including two doubles--and drove in a game-high three runs. He is batting .407 with 19 RBIs in his last 25 games and has a .301 average for the season.