With Park, Dodgers Have a Hit on Hands

The Dodgers hoped the return of Mike Piazza would awaken their slumbering offense, and it did. But they couldn’t have planned on pitcher Chan Ho Park creating offensive sparks and pitching impressively in an 8-1 rout of the Philadelphia Phillies Friday at Dodger Stadium.

Piazza, out of the lineup since he pulled a hamstring Sunday, and Eric Karros each hit three-run home runs off Phillie starter Garrett Stephenson (4-4) to fuel the rout and each drove in four runs.

Still, it was Park (9-5) who stole the show before a crowd of 42,198 as the Dodgers moved within three games of the San Francisco Giants in the NL West.

Besides giving up four hits and striking out four over eight innings--the longest outing of his career--Park had two hits and scored a run in the sixth inning. That helped him extend his winning streak to a career-best four games and raised his batting average to .257, the best among the Dodgers’ pitchers.

“I just enjoy to hit. I’ve got confidence hitting,” said Park, who has reached the seventh inning in 10 of his last 12 starts and 12 of his last 15.

His assurance is even more obvious on the mound. Of the 123 pitches he threw Friday, 81 were strikes and he never appeared ruffled. Even taking into consideration the Phillies’ 30-70 record, the worst in the major leagues, Park gave a poised and mature performance by any standards.

“He’s just now learning how to pitch and he’s learning in a big way,” Dodger Manager Bill Russell said. “When a young pitcher comes up with stuff like he has, he’s just a thrower. Now, he’s learning location and how to set up hitters. He has such a good fastball that he can get away with some mistakes--and he’s a good hitter. He can not only beat you on the mound, you’ve got to be careful when you’re pitching to him.”

Of course, as Karros said, “if we’re worried about his hitting, we’re in trouble.” And Karros and Piazza provided enough fireworks for Park’s offensive exploits to be a bonus, not a necessity.

“It was making me relax and have concentration,” Park said of the big lead his teammates piled up. “I have more confidence and I am more comfortable. I made a good game and we broke a [two-game] losing streak.”

Their victory was far from certain in the early stages because both starting pitchers had uncertain starts.

Center fielder Midre Cummings led off the game with a first-pitch single to center and moved to second on a grounder to second by Mickey Morandini. It should have been a double-play ball but was booted by second baseman Tripp Cromer and resulted only in one out. Cummings moved to third on Gregg Jefferies’ grounder to second and scored when Scott Rolen dumped a double down the right-field line.

Brett Butler jump-started the Dodger offense in the bottom of the inning with a bloop single to center that fell among four Phillies. Todd Hollandsworth followed with a double down the left-field line, sending Butler to third. After Piazza struck out, Butler scored on Karros’ sacrifice fly to center.

Butler was the catalyst again in the Dodgers’ three-run third. He drew a one-out walk and dashed to third after Hollandsworth singled to right and shortstop Kevin Stocker bobbled the throw to the infield. Both runners scored on Piazza’s home run, his 20th of the season.

The game turned into a laugher in the fifth inning. Hollandsworth led off with an infield hit and went to third on Piazza’s single to center. Karros then ripped an 0-and-1 pitch into the seats in left-center, his 24th home run this season. It was only his second hit in 12 at-bats on this home stand.

“Everybody was contributing tonight. The top of the lineup was getting on and when you have Mike in the middle of the lineup, he’s going to keep it alive,” Karros said. “He gets on base a lot, and that allows me to come up with runners in scoring position, and that makes it easier for me to hit.”

Even catcher Henry Blanco, recalled from triple-A Albuquerque, contributed to the 14-hit spree when he hit for Park in the bottom of the eighth and singled to left, his first major league hit.

But in the end, the night belonged to Park.

“Over the last month, without question, he’s been our most effective starter,” Karros said. “Really from about a month ago, his whole approach changed. He feels more confident. He gives the appearance he’s the intimidator and he’s not going to be intimidated.”

That’s true, on the mound and at the plate.