Piazza’s Homer Is Difference

Larry Dierker, the Houston Astros’ rookie manager, grew up a die-hard Dodger fan, worshiping Don Drysdale, but as a pitcher at Dodger Stadium, the memories are painful.

“I pitched a shutout against Sandy Koufax my first game at Dodger Stadium,” said Dierker, a graduate of Taft High, “but then I don’t think I won another game as a pitcher. I’m hoping my luck is a lot better as a manager than a pitcher.”

Dodger catcher Mike Piazza, only 8 when Dierker pitched his last game for the Astros, brought back old times Friday night for Dierker by hitting a three-run homer and leading the Dodgers past the Astros, 5-3, in front of 38,937 at Dodger Stadium.

The Dodgers, who provided Ramon Martinez (2-1) with the victory while Todd Worrell saved his fifth game, are off to their best start at 10-4 since their 1988 World Series championship.

The Astros certainly provided hope of ending Dierker’s drought, but one swing of Piazza’s bat ended it.

The Dodgers were trailing, 2-1, in the fifth inning when Brett Butler led off with a single past drawn-in third baseman Billy Spiers. Wilton Guerrero popped up trying to bunt. Raul Mondesi followed by slapping a single off Spiers’ glove into left field, ending an 0-for-10 skid.

Piazza, who just returned from his grandmother’s funeral in the Philadelphia area, greeted Mike Hampton with a homer into the pavilion in right-center for a 4-2 lead. Remarkably, it was only the seventh time all season he had an at-bat with a runner in scoring position.

Todd Hollandsworth led off the sixth with a double to left, his third hit of the game. Greg Gagne struck out, and after battling Hampton for 10 pitches, Martinez grounded to the right side, moving Hollandsworth to third. Butler then poked a double to left for a 5-2 lead.

The Astros threatened in the seventh, but the Dodger bullpen once again came to the rescue. Astro rookie right fielder Bob Abreu, who put on a highlight show, hit a one-out single to center. Jeff Bagwell followed with a double to left, but he was robbed of an RBI when a fan leaned over and touched the ball for a ground-rule double, keeping Abreu at third. Manager Bill Russell pulled Martinez, who had given up eight hits and three walks in 6 1/3 innings, and summoned Darren Dreifort.

Dreifort got Derek Bell to pop out, but he walked Thomas Howard, loading the bases. Russell brought in left-hander Scott Radinsky. Dierker countered with right-handed hitter Tony Eusebio, and watched him ground out to second, making it nine runners the Astros left on base since the third inning.

If nothing else, the Astros at least used the evening to show Dodger fans that they have a serious rookie-of-the-year candidate in Abreu.

“I’d like to be rookie of the year,” Abreu said, “but it’s too early to think about that right now. If I put up the numbers and play good defense, maybe later in the year it might be something to think about.”

Abreu, a 21-year-old Venezuelan, showed off his arm in the second inning. Gagne, who had his fifth consecutive multi-hit game, lined a sharp single to right field with two outs and runners on first and second. Abreu picked up the ball cleanly, and made a perfect throw, just beating Eric Karros’ slide to the plate.

The Dodgers didn’t even tempt fate in the seventh. Mondesi led off with a pop fly to shallow center that the Astros misjudged and turned into a double. Piazza flied to right, but just when Mondesi was about to tag up, he was ordered to stay put out of respect for Abreu’s arm.