No Leniency in Sheffield Case

Gary Sheffield believed he had convinced National League President Leonard Coleman to reduce his suspension for fighting. .

He was wrong.

Coleman on Tuesday upheld the three-game suspension stemming from the June 28 bench-clearing brawl against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Dodger Stadium. The all-star right fielder paid his $1,000 fine and began serving his suspension immediately, leaving the team and returning to his home in St. Petersburg, Fla.

“Sheff got all three days, which is disappointing,” Manager Glenn Hoffman said. “I was optimistic after his meeting [Monday with Coleman at the league offices in New York] because of how Sheff felt it went.

“We would have loved to have him for at least another day on the trip, but that’s not the way it turned out.”

Sheffield argued his suspension should be reduced--or eliminated entirely--because he didn’t initiate the sixth-inning altercation with Pittsburgh catcher Jason Kendall, and that he was only defending himself. Both players were ejected in the Pirates’ 6-4 victory.

Kendall was also unsuccessful in his appeal, and already has served his three-game suspension.

Sheffield returned home because he cannot accompany the team during his suspension. He is expected to rejoin the Dodgers on Friday in Los Angeles for the start of a nine-game home stand.

His absence is especially difficult for the team now because center fielder Raul Mondesi still is experiencing back pain, and outfielder-infielder Bobby Bonilla hasn’t returned from a left wrist injury. Sheffield is batting .312 (115 for 369) with 19 home runs and a team-high 75 runs batted in.

“Sheff had been playing his heart out,” Hoffman said. “We’re going to have to manufacture runs without him, and that’s why it’s important that guys like [Matt] Luke and [Roger] Cedeno have been out there. They’re going to be the ones who have to pick us up now.”

*

Leadoff batter Eric Young recorded his 34th stolen base in the third inning of a 5-4, 10-inning loss to the Expos.

It was Young’s first stolen base since he was activated from the disabled list last Friday after missing 18 games because of a right quadriceps strain.

*

Bonilla, on the disabled list because of tendinitis in his left wrist, said the wrist felt fine Tuesday after he participated in batting practice for the second consecutive day.

Hoffman is considering activating him soon.

*

The NL office did not announce a ruling on a protest filed by the New York Mets arguing that the Dodgers must forfeit last Friday’s 4-3 victory because of a roster technicality.

TONIGHT

DODGERS’

DARREN DREIFORT

(6-9, 3.68 ERA)

vs.

EXPOS’

CARL PAVANO

(3-5, 4.95 ERA)

Olympic Stadium, 4 p.m. PDT

* Update--Dreifort leads the starting staff with 131 strikeouts. The right-hander is 6-5 with a 3.26 ERA in his last 15 starts since being reunited with catcher Charles Johnson, his teammate on the 1992 U.S. Olympic team.