Piazza Looks to Improve Baserunning

In the first inning of Tuesday night’s game at St. Louis, Mike Piazza was on first base when Eric Karros hit a fly ball into foul territory on the right side. By the time the ball landed in the stands, Piazza, taking no chances, was at third.

Piazza’s reaction was understandable given the events of the night before when he froze on the basepath in the series finale against the Cincinnati Reds. Of course, Piazza saw something on Monday that no one connected with the Dodgers could recall ever happening before.

In the sixth inning, with Piazza at second base, teammate Eric Karros hit a drive that bounced off the glove of Cincinnati center fielder Thomas Howard, landed on top of the wall and rolled about four feet before finally falling off in fair territory.

That play was a first even for announcer Vin Scully, who has been broadcasting Dodger baseball for 47 years.

Karros got a double, but Piazza advanced only to third, costing Karros a run batted in.

“He [Karros] was upset and he was right to be upset,” Piazza said. “I feel bad. No one is going to give me any awards for baserunning.

“I have to work on my baserunning. I feel kind of lost out there. I’m not seeing balls well. I have to work at it, but that’s what the game is all about.”

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To make room for the return of pitcher Tom Candiotti to the roster, the Dodgers optioned right-handed pitcher Jim Bruske to triple-A Albuquerque. . . . Tonight’s game starts 30 minutes earlier, at 4:35 PDT, because it is being telecast nationally by ESPN.