Sheff’s Special: Slam, Six RBIs

On rare occasions, the Dodgers don’t appear to be among the worst offensive teams in the major leagues, although they have been throughout their perplexing season.

They experienced another of those unfamiliar days Sunday during a 9-7 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies at Veterans Stadium, highlighted by Gary Sheffield’s sixth-inning grand slam.

The Dodgers had 12 hits in winning the final game of the series before a crowd of 22,510, taking two of three from the surprising Phillies (65-58) despite the ongoing problems of their unstable bullpen.

Sheffield hit his sixth career grand slam and drove in a game-high six runs for the Dodgers (56-68). Leadoff batter Eric Young went three for five with two doubles, two runs and two runs batted in.

Moreover, Young also made a strong defensive play to rob Kevin Jordan of a leadoff single in the ninth inning, which helped closer Jeff Shaw earn his 25th save. And Jose Vizcaino went three for four with an RBI and a run while filling in for third baseman Adrian Beltre.

It definitely wasn’t a typical day offensively for the Dodgers.

“We’ve shown signs of being really good offensively, and then something breaks down,” Manager Davey Johnson said. “You wonder why can’t we do this on a daily basis.”

Starter Chan Ho Park (7-10) benefited from the strong support. Park pitched six innings to earn his first victory since July 17.

However, the game marked another shaky outing for Park. He gave up six hits and four runs, and his command was awful. He walked six while throwing only 60 strikes in 110 pitches.

The Dodgers scored two runs in the first and three in the second to stake Park to a seemingly secure 5-1 lead. But Park has been uncomfortable on the mound regardless of the circumstances, and Sunday was no exception.

After retiring nine of the 11 batters he faced from the second through the fourth, Park retired the first two batters in the fifth, then quickly lost his command.

Park gave up consecutive walks and three run-scoring singles before finally getting the last out of the inning. All of a sudden, the Dodger lead was trimmed to 5-4.

“Maybe I was [thinking] about their power hitters too much,” Park said, alluding to the Phillies’ impressive everyday lineup. “Sometimes I have to believe in myself more, but I think more about the hitters.”

Said Johnson: “I think it’s more emotional than anything else with him. It’s just about maturity and still learning.”

The Dodgers took a 9-4 lead in the sixth on Sheffield’s grand slam. With two out and Park on first, Young doubled and Park was held at third. Mark Grudzielanek walked with Sheffield on deck.

Sheffield hit reliever Steve Montgomery’s first pitch off the facade on the luxury-suite level over the left-field wall. The blast--estimated at 410 feet--was Sheffield’s 21st homer and his first grand slam since he hit one against the Phillies’ Matt Beech on Sept. 28, 1997.

“There was a little anger built up right there because I can’t hit a ball that far,” said Sheffield, who exchanged words with Philadelphia catcher Gary Bennett in the fifth inning because he was upset that reliever Steve Schrenk threw inside near his head.

Home plate umpire Marvin Hudson stepped between Sheffield and Bennett to make sure the situation didn’t escalate. What was said?

“I just told him how well his uniform fit,” Sheffield said, smiling. “He told me he liked the No. 10 on my cleats.”

Left-handed setup man Pedro Borbon, who has been ineffective for more than a month, was charged with three runs in the seventh inning without retiring a batter, helping the Phillies cut the Dodger lead to 9-7.

“He’s searching out there instead of pitching,” Johnson said. “You can’t go out there and think you can blow it by people all the time.”

*

DETROIT 12

ANGELS 3

Anaheim could manage little offense or defense against Detroit and Juan Encarnacion, who had five RBIs. Page 4

A’S STAY HOT

Randy Velarde’s run-scoring single in the ninth gave Oakland a win over Toronto. Page 4