Leyritz Is Quickly Becoming a Mr. April

Jim Leyritz, whose flair for the dramatic home run was previously limited to the postseason, has begun launching some timely regular-season shots as well.

Leyritz hit a three-run homer off Dave Veres in the 11th inning Monday, and the San Diego Padres wrecked Colorado’s home opener by beating the Rockies, 8-5, before a crowd of 48,073.

It was Leyritz’s second game-winning homer against Colorado in less than a week. His pinch-hit solo homer in the bottom of the ninth gave the Padres a 2-1 win last Wednesday.

“I think I bear down a little more in the clutch,” Leyritz said. “Tony [Gwynn] came through with a big hit that gave me the opportunity to come up there. The first couple of pitches I was guessing, but he made a mistake and I hit it.”

After Veres (0-1) struck out the first two batters of the 11th, Gwynn singled for his third hit. Wally Joyner doubled, with Gwynn stopping at third. Leyritz, who entered the game as a pinch-hitter in the eighth and stayed in to catch, followed with a 437-foot shot into the second deck in right-center field.

San Diego’s Reggie Sanders was hit by a pitch in the third inning and left the game in the fourth because of a bruised left wrist.

Atlanta 8, Philadelphia 6--The wind whipped around Veterans Stadium, the late afternoon shadows crept across the mound and an all-out brawl erupted in the upper deck.

The Phillies’ home opener against the Atlanta Braves was sort of like the Jerry Springer show being staged at wind-blown Candlestick Park.

Javy Lopez stopped the madness with a tiebreaking, two-run homer off Ken Ryan in the eighth.

It was a memorable opener at the Vet, with fall-like weather conditions, smooth takeoffs and landings by “Rocket Man” and “Kite Man,” and a home-run derby of sorts in the last three innings.

No arrests were reported in a widespread melee in front of the Phillies’ new Jumbotron in center. Atlanta pitcher John Smoltz, second base umpire Eric Gregg and others stopped and looked around to see what all the cheers and commotion were about.

“I thought they were going to fall into the stadium,” Brave Manager Bobby Cox said. “Can’t have that in a family setting.”

Cincinnati 7, Chicago 2--Back home at Wrigley Field where his every move, gesture and smile is greeted with cheers and chants of his name, Sammy Sosa wanted desperately to please, to give everyone who came what they wanted to see.

Instead, his struggles at the plate continued. He didn’t homer and managed only one hit--a measly dribbler in the infield--as the Cubs lost their home opener.The Reds had no power problems. Mike Cameron, who never fulfilled his potential on the other side of Chicago with the White Sox, hit two of Cincinnati’s four homers as the Reds gave the Cubs a fourth straight loss.

“I wish I could have a hit or homer every time,” said Sosa, who went one for four, dropping him to three for 25 for the season with one homer.

The Cubs’ depleted pitching staff got another scare when Kevin Tapani (1-1) had to leave after three innings because of tightness in his right shoulder. Tapani said he didn’t consider the strain “a major thing” but was not sure if he’ll make his next start.

New York 8, Florida 1--The rebuilt Mets came to Shea Stadium for the first time this year, and Bobby Jones, Bobby Bonilla and Robin Ventura gave the fans quite a show for the home opener.

Jones hit his first career home run and beat Florida for the fourth straight time, Bonilla went three for three and Ventura made two impressive defensive plays. Since losing their opener at Miami, the Mets have won six of seven. Their 6-2 start is their best since 1991.