Schilling Sees It as Eye for an Eye

If there was any doubt that the Philadelphia Phillies were throwing at Dodger catcher Mike Piazza in the first inning of Sunday’s game, it was dispelled by statements Philadelphia pitcher Curt Schilling made to the Philadelphia media before the game.

Schilling was responding to a pitch thrown by Dodger right-hander Hideo Nomo Saturday night that caused a contusion on the left arm of third baseman Scott Rolen that was serious enough to knock him out of that game and Sunday’s as well.

“You don’t hit a guy because he’s kicking your [butt] at the plate,” Schilling said. “If he’s beating you with your best stuff, you tip your hat to him.

“They have to expect to have somebody hurt like we have somebody. He [Rolen] has answered every question, but he’s not in the lineup [Sunday]. They’re all healthy. That’s the problem.

“It was addressed, but it’s not over with yet.”

Rolen went one for two Saturday night with a double before getting hit by Nomo. That makes him five for 14 (.357) with a double, two home runs and three RBIs against the Dodger pitcher.

Nomo insisted Saturday night he had not been throwing at Rolen and reiterated that point after Sunday’s game.

“It was not intentional,” Nomo said through a translator. “I always try to find the sweet location.”

Matt Beech, whose pitch hit Piazza in the left thigh, wasn’t talking after Sunday’s game.

Asked about the incident, Philadelphia Manager Terry Francona shrugged it off, saying, “Players get hit all the time.”

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Piazza is not expected to play in the second game of tonight’s doubleheader against the Pirates at Pittsburgh.

And he is looking forward to the following week when the Dodgers have an off day, play two games against the Texas Rangers at Arlington, then have another day off. Because the designated-hitter rule is in effect in American League parks, Piazza will only bat in those two games, not catch.

“I can’t wait,” he said. “That’s like a vacation to me.”

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Second baseman Wilton Guerrero, sent down by the Dodgers to their triple-A team in Albuquerque to make room for pitcher Dennis Reyes, went five for six in his first game for the Dukes. Playing against Salt Lake City, Guerrero also drove in three runs, scored three and stole a base.

Twenty-one-year major league veteran Eddie Murray, playing for Albuquerque before his anticipated recall by the Dodgers on Sept. 1, was 0 for 3 with two walks in his debut with the Dukes.