Dodger Rally Is Very Personal

Who was that Person?

After being dominated for eight innings Friday night by Philadelphia starter Robert Person, the Dodgers rallied for an 8-5, 10-inning victory over the Phillies before a stunned crowd of 17,444 at Veterans Stadium.

Person, who had a no-hitter for six innings, began the ninth inning with a 4-1 lead. Then his dream outing quickly turned into a nightmare.

The Dodgers scored three runs in the inning against Person, with Raul Mondesi hitting a two-run, two-out homer to tie the score and ruin Person’s night.

Philadelphia closer Wayne Gomes’ horrible performance in the 10th--he walked three and was charged with four runs--completed the Phillies’ traumatic turnaround.

So much for Person’s sweet dream.

“It was a good dream gone bad,” Person said. “One minute, you’re on the beach with the girl of your dreams. The next minute, Godzilla comes in and steps on her. A good dream gone bad.”

The ineffective Gomes (3-3) was wild in the 10th. He failed to record an out after getting the final out in the ninth, walking in the go-ahead run with the bases loaded.

Dodger reliever Alan Mills (3-4) worked out of a jam in the ninth to earn the victory as the Dodgers ended a streak of 11 consecutive losses in the opening games of series.

Kevin Brown had another impressive outing, pitching seven strong innings and dropping his earned-run average to 3.12. Brown wound up with a no-decision because the Dodgers, who committed four errors, did little right with their best pitcher on the mound.

But once the Dodgers got past Person, the Phillies didn’t have the people to contain them.

“That guy pitched a pretty good game,” Dodger Manager Davey Johnson said of Person. “I thought it was pretty much over, but the kid got a little bit wild [in the ninth] and we got a little bit more patient.

“We finally laid off some pitches and we took advantage. That’s what’s great about this game. You can’t take anything for granted.”

Person was cruising until the ninth. He was only one out away from the first complete game of his career.

Then the Dodgers suddenly awoke.

Mark Grudzielanek started the rally against Person, opening the ninth with a double. Grudzielanek advanced to third on a fly by Todd Hollandsworth and scored on a groundout by Eric Karros, cutting the Phillies’ lead to 4-2.

Karros had broken up Person’s no-hit bid in the seventh with a leadoff home run, marking his team-leading 27th homer. After Karros’ grounder in the ninth, Person lost his command in the 144-pitch effort.

He hit Devon White with a pitch and then Mondesi followed with his 25th homer over the left-field wall on the next pitch.

“That [hitting White] was the one I’m sure he wishes he could have back,” said Karros, who had two hits and three runs batted in. “Devo wasn’t swinging the bat real well tonight, and to hit him and then have Mondy come up . . . I’m sure he wishes he could have that one back.”

Person gave up three hits--including two homers--and four runs while striking out a career-high 11 with five walks.

Person, 29, bounced around the minor leagues for eight seasons, and he was making only his 14th start of the season for Philadelphia, which acquired him from the Toronto Blue Jays on May 5.

“No doubt about it, he pitched a great game,” Karros said. “When you pitch as well as he did, you should get the decision.”