Dodger Loss Made Worse by Arrest of Mondesi

The Dodgers accomplished a rare feat Saturday afternoon, turning only the third recorded triple play in franchise history.

But even with the stirring play, the bad news outweighed the good for the Dodgers in a 4-2 loss to the Colorado Rockies.

The fifth-inning triple play gave a Dodger Stadium crowd of 38,417 reason to cheer, but star center fielder Raul Mondesi didn’t play because he was arrested in Glendale early Saturday morning for driving under the influence of alcohol. Starter Darren Dreifort struggled in a mediocre outing and the Dodgers failed in their third attempt to win four in a row.

But the Mondesi situation was the main concern for the Dodgers, who have already had more than their share of off-field distractions.

Team officials would not comment on Mondesi’s arrest. Fred Claire, executive vice president, released a statement after the game saying that the team elected not to play Mondesi because of a personal matter he’s dealing with.

Mondesi participated in batting practice and sat on the dugout bench in uniform during the game. He left the stadium before reporters were permitted to enter the Dodger clubhouse after the game.

Contacted in Arizona, Mondesi’s attorney, Jeff Moorad, spoke on behalf of his client.

“Under the circumstances, everyone involved thought it would be best for Raul to take the day off [Saturday], but I do expect him to be back in the lineup [today],” Moorad said. “Raul is of course remorseful and embarrassed, as you would expect from anyone who finds himself in this type of a situation.

“We are looking into the situation in Glendale, and we are confident the situation will be resolved. In particular, Raul feels he has an obligation to the fans of the team to have the situation addressed expeditiously.”

Mondesi was listed in his customary fifth spot in the batting order on lineup sheets, but he was scratched moments before the opening pitch and replaced by Roger Cedeno in center.

He appeared listless as he sat on the bench and in the clubhouse before the game, many observed. His teammates declined to discuss the situation.

Mondesi hit his 15th home run Friday night in the Dodgers’ 2-1 victory over the Rockies, and he is batting .271 with 14 doubles and 41 RBIs.

Last season, Mondesi became the first Dodger to hit at least 30 home runs with 30 stolen bases. He won his second Gold Glove award as a right fielder and was rewarded with a four-year, $36-million contract in the off-season.

The fifth-inning triple play, the second in the major leagues this season, took some of the focus off Mondesi.

It was the Dodgers’ first triple play since 1996, their second since the franchise moved to Los Angeles and their first at Dodger Stadium. Moreover, it’s only the third recorded in the franchise’s combined history in Brooklyn and Los Angeles.

And the inning began poorly for Dreifort (4-6), which happened frequently against the Rockies on Saturday.

After Wright’s leadoff single, Dreifort’s fielding error on a sacrifice bunt by Neifi Perez put runners on first and second with none out. That’s when things got interesting.

Attempting to bunt, Kurt Abbott popped up on the first-base side of the mound and first baseman Eric Karros, who was charging in on the play, let the ball drop. Dreifort fielded the ball and threw to shortstop Jose Vizcaino to force Perez at second, Vizcaino threw to second baseman Eric Young to beat Abbott at first and Young threw across the infield to third baseman Bobby Bonilla, who tagged the sliding Wright.

The Dodgers’ last triple play occurred June 15, 1996, against the Atlanta Braves at Atlanta. The Brooklyn Dodgers turned their only recorded triple play on April 26, 1949, according to research by the Dodger media relations staff.

And on a day when Russell was again feeling the weight of the tumultuous season, the Dodgers’ execution on the triple play provided a bright spot.

“That was a smart move on Dreifort’s part to let that ball drop,” Russell said. “That’s the type of thing that can get you into trouble, but it worked out today.”

If only Russell could say the same about everything else.

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* BILL PLASCHKE

Jim Eisenreich has endured for 13 major league seasons while playing with Tourette syndrome. C5