Ties Suit Worrell, Dodgers Just Fine

PHILADELPHIA — Todd Worrell admitted it.

He was happy and honored to have picked up his 125th career save as a Dodger on Saturday night, tying Jim Brewer for the most in team history. Especially after the abuse he took when he struggled in 1994, his first year with the club, when his critics wanted him locked out of the bullpen.

Yes, personal achievements are nice to savor on a cold winter’s night far removed from baseball.

But not now.

On Saturday night, Worrell was more excited about savoring another tie, the one at the top of the National League West.

Worrell’s 33rd save of the season nailed down a 4-3 Dodger victory over the Philadelphia Phillies in front of a Veterans Stadium crowd of 31,159. That victory, coupled with a San Francisco Giant loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates, left the Dodgers and Giants tied at 71-58 with 33 games to play.

The teams last were tied Aug. 2, but the Dodgers have not been alone atop the division a single day this season.

“Tying up the division is a lot more exciting than tying Mr. Brewer for most saves,” Worrell said. “We are in a dogfight right now.

“It would be nice to see the Giants play two games back instead of us for a change. It would be nice to see how they respond to the pressure.”

Several Dodgers contributed to the team’s big step to the top in addition to Worrell, who came in with one out in the ninth, gave up a single to Kevin Jordan, but then retired outfielder Billy McMillon on a fly to left and catcher Mike Lieberthal on a comebacker.

There was catcher Mike Piazza, who drove in a pair of runs, one on his 29th home run of the season in the first on a drive to right-center field, and one on an RBI single in the third.

There were relief pitchers Darren Dreifort and Scott Radinsky, who set up Worrell for his big night with solid performances after starter Hideo Nomo (12-10) struggled again, giving up three runs and seven hits in five innings.

And there was Roger Cedeno, who arguably made the biggest play of the night.

You won’t find it in the box score. Cedeno never came to bat, entering the game as a defensive replacement in left field for Brett Butler in the bottom of the eighth.

With two out and the bases empty in the eighth, Phillie pinch-hitter Rex Hudler hit what appeared to be a routine single to right field. Raul Mondesi, charging in, let the ball get by him.

Hudler took second.

Center fielder Otis Nixon tried to scoop up the ball, but couldn’t quite do it.

Hudler took third.

Nixon finally controlled the elusive ball and relayed it to second baseman Eric Young, who fired it to third, trying to get the sliding Hudler. Instead, the wild throw got past third baseman Todd Zeile.

And Hudler nearly went home.

“We thought the ball was in the photographers’ well,” Dreifort said.

Instead, it was in Cedeno’s glove. He had hustled all the way in from left field to cover for just such a mishap and saved the potential tying run.

“It was an awesome play,” Dreifort said.

Early Saturday, it didn’t appear as if the Dodgers were going to need an awesome play to stop the Phillies. Thanks to the two RBIs by Piazza, a third run that came across on a fielder’s choice and a fourth via a Zeile sacrifice fly, the Dodgers led, 4-1, heading into the bottom of the fifth, the only Philadelphia run coming on Midre Cummings’ third-inning homer, his fourth home run of the season.

But in the fifth, Nomo, who hasn’t pitched into the eighth inning in his last eight outings, again ran out of gas. He gave up three singles, including RBI singles by Jordan and McMillon, and hit third baseman Scott Rolen on the left arm.

That angered Rolen, who had to leave the game an inning later because of the injury. As he trotted to first, Rolen shook three fingers at Nomo, indicating the number of times the Dodger right-hander has hit him with a pitch.

Nomo didn’t respond, and later said, through a translator, that he didn’t understand Rolen’s gesture and had not intended to hit him.

Why would he? The way he has been pitching lately, Nomo needs every strike he can get.