Team Tries Not to Get Overly Excited About Mondesi’s Torrid Hitting

Raul Mondesi continued his torrid hitting in a 2-0 victory over the Colorado Rockies, smacking the first pitch from Colorado starter Darryl Kile into the left-field pavilion in the seventh inning.

The right fielder’s fourth home run provided all the support pitchers Kevin Brown and Jeff Shaw needed, stirring talk among reporters about Mondesi’s homer pace.

But Mondesi and the Dodgers wouldn’t take the bait.

“What’s great is that we’re really playing like a team,” said Mondesi when asked to comment on his performance.

“But I can’t get excited yet because it’s such a long season.”

Likewise, Manager Davey Johnson spoke cautiously when put on the spot about Mondesi’s hot start.

“I don’t want to put that type of pressure on him,” Johnson said, declining to compare Mondesi with Sammy Sosa.

“He’s a great player, and I think he can have an outstanding year if he just stays patient and keeps using the whole field.”

*

With one out in the seventh, Eric Karros hit a solo homer down the left-field line to close the scoring.

But the first baseman thought his first homer of the season was a foul ball, lingering around the plate until fans began celebrating throughout the stadium.

“I saw [the ball], but it was 20 feet foul when I hit it,” Karros said.

“It just kept coming back, and back, and back.”

*

The Dodgers were rebuffed in their initial attempt to sign pitcher Chan Ho Park to a multiyear contract extension, industry sources said.

Park rejected a four-year, $20-million offer in October, and then Kevin Brown signed a seven-year, $105-million contract with the Dodgers in December, piquing Park’s interest.

The right-hander is making $2.3 million this season in the final year of a two-year, $3-million deal, and Park will be eligible for arbitration at the end of the season. But he won’t be eligible for free agency until after the 2001 season, giving the Dodgers time to work on a multiyear deal.

Malone acknowledged he had “opening discussions” with Park’s agent, Steve Kim, during spring training. But Malone would not discuss the offer Park received in October.

“I’m not going to comment on player contracts during the season,” Malone said.

“We’ve expressed our desire to keep Chan Ho, he knows that we want him to be a Dodger for a long time, and at some point we’ll talk.”

TODAY

DODGERS’

CHAN HO PARK

(0-0, 2.57 ERA)

vs.

ROCKIES’

PEDRO ASTACIO

(0-1, 6.00 ERA)

Dodger Stadium, 1

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

* Update--Park pitched seven strong innings Tuesday in his first start, giving up four hits and two runs in a 3-2, 10-inning victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks. Park had problems with the Rockies last season, going 0-2 with a 8.16 ERA in two starts. Astacio lost in his first start against the San Diego Padres, giving up six hits and four runs in six innings. The Rockies are expecting a big season from the former Dodger, who was a big disappointment last season with Colorado, going 13-14 with a 6.23 ERA.