Leyland’s Strategy Almost Backfires

His Florida Marlins beat the Dodgers, 8-6, Tuesday afternoon but Manager Jim Leyland wasn’t happy about the way it ended. Not after his bullpen had turned an 8-0 rout into an 8-6 squeaker by giving up five runs on two hits and six walks, one of them intentional, in the ninth inning.

“That’s just not being prepared to close the deal,” said Leyland of pitchers Matt Mantei and Antonio Alfonseca. “Guys think they are not going to get a save so they don’t prepare themselves properly.”

Clinging to what was left of his lead with two out and first base open, Leyland intentionally walked Gary Sheffield to pitch to Eric Karros, who hit a sharp liner to center, ending the Dodger comeback.

“It’s not disrespect to Karros,” Leyland said. “It’s the ultimate respect for Sheffield. I’ve seen Karros beat me in a lot of games. I didn’t feel too good doing it, but fortunately, it worked out.”

TONIGHT

DODGERS’

CARLOS PEREZ

(7-11, 3.85 ERA)

vs.

MARLINS’

KIRT OJALA

(1-2, 3.24 ERA)

Dodger Stadium, 7:30 p.m.

TV--Fox Sports West 2. Radio--AM 1150, KWKW (1330, Spanish)

* Update--Perez could identify with the Dodgers’ early struggles on offense Tuesday. In the two games he has started since coming from the Montreal Expos in a July 31 trade, he has received one run in 12 innings. But that’s nothing new for Perez. He had the same problem in Montreal. Perez has the worst run support in the league with only 63 runs for his side in 175 1/3 innings of work this season.