Erstad Enjoys His Day in Dome

Saturday was Kirby Puckett Night in the Metrodome. Sunday was Darin Erstad Day, minus the flashy pregame ceremony, laser shows and speeches.

The crowd of 14,378 was also significantly smaller than Saturday’s sellout of 51,011, but about 3,000 of those fans--roughly one-fifth the population of Jamestown, N.D.--made the 5 1/2-hour drive to Minneapolis to see Erstad, their hometown hero, play against the Twins.

Three North Dakota newspaper reporters and two television crews were on hand to chronicle the event. Among the traveling party was U.S. Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) and several hundred members of Jamestown’s Trinity of Lutheran Church, who held services in a tent outside the Metrodome Sunday morning.

“Our pastor was pretty excited,” Erstad said, “because he got to use the same podium Kirby used Saturday night.”

Manager Joe Maddon started Erstad in center field, moving Jim Edmonds to the designated-hitter spot and Chili Davis to the bench. Erstad singled in four at-bats.

“I’d have been dead meat in that state if I didn’t play him,” Maddon said. “I could get one speeding ticket there and never be heard from again. I’m sure now I’ll be welcomed into their fine community.”

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Troy Percival, who hadn’t pitched since Sept. 1, retired six in a row in the eighth and ninth innings Sunday for his 34th save. He is 34 for 36 in save opportunities this season. . . . Strange but true: Angel third baseman Jack Howell began a triple play in the sixth inning but was removed from the game in the seventh for defensive purposes. “George Arias has been playing great,” Howell said. “I’m sure 90% of managers would do the same thing.”. . . . Paul Molitor’s bunt single for the Twins in the sixth inning was the 2,990th hit of his career. . . . Sunday marked Edmonds’ first career start at DH.