Dodgers Mobbed by Rico’s Act

First the Dodgers ruined things for the Phillies against their beleaguered bullpen in the series opener, then the Phillies turned the tables against the struggling Dodger relievers Saturday night during a 6-5, 11-inning victory at Veterans Stadium.

First baseman Rico Brogna’s one-out, run-scoring single against rookie reliever Onan Masaoka capped the Phillies’ wild ride before a crowd of 22,078. Masaoka, the sixth Dodger pitcher, continued a disturbing trend for the Dodger bullpen in the game by walking the first two batters he faced in the 11th.

Philadelphia squandered a 2-0, eighth-inning lead when the Dodgers scored five runs to take a seemingly commanding 5-2 lead. Philadelphia rallied in its half of the inning, scoring three runs to tie the score.

Brogna provided the key hit in the eighth as well, blasting a two-run home run against left-handed setup man Pedro Borbon to cut the lead to 5-4. Then Brogna--who drove in five of the Phillies’ six runs and had four hits--came through again in the 11th.

He singled through the hole at short against Masaoka (2-3) to drive in Kevin Sefcik from second base. Sefcik easily beat the throw to the plate from left fielder Gary Sheffield.

The Dodgers took advantage of the Philadelphia relievers in an 8-5, 10-inning victory Friday. They scored three runs in the ninth to tie the score and then scored four in the 10th.

The situation was similar Saturday, except the Phillies left the field happy this time.

“We’re struggling right now, especially me,” said Borbon, who has given up nine runs in 10 2/3 innings since the All-Star break. “When you’re in a slump like this, when you’re a reliever, you really can hurt the team. I have to come out of it because I’m really hurting the team now.”

He has company.

Mills, the right-handed setup man, also has been shaky during the second half of the season. The Phillies rallied to tie the score at 5-5 against the Dodgers’ top three relievers: Borbon, Mills and closer Jeff Shaw, who all struggled with their command.

In the eighth, Brogna hit his 16th homer against Borbon to pull the Phillies within one. Mills relieved Borbon and had problems locating the plate from the outset.

Dodger Manager Davey Johnson was so concerned about Mills, who had already walked Kevin Jordan, he made the rare move of removing him after he went to a 3-and-0 count against Alex Arias.

Shaw walked Arias (it was charged to Mills) and pinch hitter Rob Ducey had a run-scoring, ground-rule double to tie the score, 5-5. Shaw also walked Doug Glanville before finally getting out of the inning, but the damage was done.

“Pedro walked the first guy [Bobby Abreu], he threw some tough pitches [in striking out Scott Rolen] and then he hung one to Brogna,” Johnson said. “I don’t know about Millsy. He and Pete [Borbon] throw well and then occasionally it looks like they don’t know where their pitches are going.”

After being shut out for seven innings by rookie left-hander Randy Wolf, the Dodgers batted around in the eighth to take a 5-2 lead.

Catcher Todd Hundley provided the big blow with one out and the bases loaded, clearing the bases with a pinch-hit double against reliever Scott Aldred.

The Dodgers wasted another quality start by right-hander Ismael Valdes, who pitched six solid innings.

Valdes gave up only four hits and two runs but left trailing, 2-0. He has not won since July 16, and he might have to pitch a complete game to win again this season with the way the Dodger relievers are throwing.

“When you’re in a slump like this, you just have to keep working hard to come out of it,” Borbon said. “You just have to keep going out there and getting your work in to fix it.

“And the sooner the better.”

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TIGERS 5, ANGELS 0

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