Bumps, Bruises Come Early for Piazza

The Dodgers, who can ill afford anything else to go wrong with their offense, lost catcher Mike Piazza for most of the night Friday when he was scratched from the starting lineup.

Piazza, still hobbling after being hit in the left knee Wednesday night on a foul-tip off the bat of Cardinal outfielder Ron Gant, pulled himself out of the lineup 45 minutes before game time. Piazza, who pinch-hit in the seventh inning during the Dodgers’ 4-2 loss to the Florida Marlins, hopes to be able to play today.

“It’s very frustrating,” Piazza said. “I want to be out there and help this team’s offensive, whatever you call it. You just don’t feel like you’re contributing. There’s just nothing you can do.

“But I can’t even move in the squat position right now.

“It’s been a tough month. First, I get hit in the elbow [which caused him to sit out nearly two games], and now this. Hopefully next month I’ll be in one piece.”

Piazza pinch-hit in the seventh inning and reached base on pitcher Rick Helling’s error. He was immediately removed for a pinch-runner.

“It was painful just walking back to the dugout,” Piazza said.

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Hideo Nomo struck out Luis Castillo in the first inning for his 500th strikeout, becoming the second-fastest pitcher to achieve the feat.

Nomo, who struck out five batters Friday, reached the milestone in just 66 games--five more than Dwight Gooden with the New York Mets. Herb Score of the Cleveland Indians had 500 strikeouts in 68 games.

“I concern myself as a pitcher, and I have to win the game,” Nomo said. “The individual stats come in second.”

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The Dodgers had a feeling it was going to be a rotten day when they arrived to the ballpark Friday and learned that Florida Marlin center fielder Devon White will have knee surgery and was going on the disabled list.

Sure, White may be a seven-time Gold Glove winner and two-time All-Star, but the news meant that Jim Eisenreich--a .430 career hitter against the Dodgers--would be starting in his place.

“I guess we’ll do anything to get Eisenreich in the lineup against the Dodgers,” Marlin General Manager Dave Dombrowski said.

In truth, the Marlins were in a subdued mood upon hearing the news, knowing that he will be sidelined a minimum of four weeks because of torn cartilage in his left knee. He will undergo surgery today.

“This is a tough blow for us,” Marlin Manager Jim Leyland said, “because Devo is a good offensive player and a great defensive player. He was playing great, and is as good a center fielder as you’ll see, but we’ve got to turn the page.

“There will be no excuses here. The fact of the matters is that we haven’t hit well. The offense has been sputtering since day one. We haven’t hit since the season started.

“I’m not getting down on anyone, but this is the big leagues. This is about performance. My responsibility is keeping guys confident, but it comes to a point where you’ve got to do something.”

John Wehner, who was released in spring training by the Dodgers, was called up to replace White.

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Left fielder Todd Hollandsworth was kept out of the starting lineup for the first time this season. Hollandsworth is in a two-for-13 slide, and Manager Bill Russell figured that Billy Ashley would have a better chance against left-hander Al Leiter than Hollandsworth.

“Ashley needs to play, just to keep him sharp,” Russell said. “Besides, it will do [Hollandsworth] some good to take a day off and watch from the bench. He’ll be back in there [today].”

Ashley was hitless in three at-bats without hitting the ball out of the infield.

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Infielder Paul Konerko, the Dodgers’ top prospect, suffered a cracked bone in his left hand and was put on the seven-day disabled list at triple-A Albuquerque. The Dodgers are hoping he’ll be able to return in May.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

TONIGHT’S GAME

DODGERS’ ISMAEL VALDES (1-2, 2.49 ERA) vs. MARLINS’ ALEX FERNANDEZ (2-2, 2.28 ERA)

Pro Player Stadium, 4 o’clock

TV--Channel 5. Radio--KABC (790), KWKW (1330).

* Update--The Dodgers hope to have catcher Mike Piazza back in the starting lineup tonight. He was scratched from the lineup Friday because of a bruised left knee suffered Wednesday night, but pinch-hit in the seventh inning. Todd Hollandsworth, in a two-for-13 slide, was benched Friday for the first time this season. Manager Bill Russell said Hollandsworth will be back in the lineup tonight against right-hander Alex Fernandez. This will be the first time the Dodgers have faced Fernandez, who signed a five-year, $35-million free-agent contract in the off-season. Shortstop Greg Gagne struggled against Fernandez in the American League, batting .222 (six for 27). Then again, Gagne was overmatched against Marlin starter Al Leiter too. Gagne was hitless in 20 career at-bats against Leiter but homered against him in his first at-bat Friday night. Valdes has pitched better against the Marlins than any team in the league, 2-0 with a dazzling 1.54 ERA. The Marlins who give him the most trouble are outfielders Jim Eisenreich and Gary Sheffield. Eisenreich is batting .474 (nine for 19) against Valdes and Sheffield is batting .444 (four for nine) with a triple and two homers.