Reboulet Unloads on Diamondbacks

By JASON REID

June 6, 2001 12 AM PT

TIMES STAFF WRITER

PHOENIX —

Jeff Reboulet?

The light-hitting utility infielder’s name does not come to mind when one lists the Dodgers’ clutch performers--but maybe it should after Reboulet provided another timely hit Tuesday night in a 6-5 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks at Bank One Ballpark.

Reboulet, who entered as a defensive replacement in the sixth, delivered a bases-loaded, eighth-inning, three-run double to left-center against Greg Swindell to give the Dodgers a 6-4 lead, and the bullpen nailed down the club’s third victory in a row before 32,699.

“That’s what it takes to have a championship season,” Reboulet said. “It was my turn tonight and it might be somebody else’s turn tomorrow night.”

The Diamondbacks cut the lead to 6-5 in the bottom of the eighth when Jay Bell, who led off with a single, scored from first on Mark Grace’s double and an error by right fielder Shawn Green, who dropped the ball while trying to throw.

Manager Jim Tracy went deep into the bullpen after Terry Adams worked 4 2/3 innings in his first big league start.

Matt Herges (3-4) pitched two innings to get the victory. Closer Jeff Shaw--the Dodgers’ seventh pitcher--retired the side in order in the ninth to earn his National League-leading 18th save in 19 chances.

With victories in the first two games of the series, the second-place Dodgers (33-25) moved within one game of the first-place Diamondbacks (34-24) in the West.

Reboulet played a big role.

He was thrown out trying for a triple, but the guy who signed a one-year, $450,000 contract in spring training again had a major impact.

He has been a key addition to the clubhouse, improving the club’s demeanor with his selfless approach and strong play on defense.

“That was a heck of a great at-bat in a tough situation,” Green said of Reboulet. “What [he] did, that’s what we’re talking about. We have so many guys step up in situations and come through just like that. It’s a great feeling coming to the ballpark right now.”

With the Dodgers trailing, 4-3, Marquis Grissom again provided a spark.

Grissom, making a strong bid for comeback player of the year, doubled to start the eighth against Byung-Hyun Kim (2-2) after tying the score in the sixth with a two-run home run.

Swindell replaced Kim after Dave Hansen and Adrian Beltre walked to load the bases.

After left-handed batter Chris Donnels was announced to pinch-hit for Herges, Tracy turned to right-handed batter Tim Bogar with Swindell on the mound.

Bogar--four for 41 with the bases loaded in his career--struck out on three pitches with Reboulet on deck.

Reboulet caught a break when he checked his swing on a full count. In the at-bat’s ninth pitch, Reboulet sent a line drive into the gap.

“He’s been that way for us from Day 1,” Tracy said of Reboulet. “He’s always ready to play. His head is always in the game and he’s always ready to give us what we need. You couldn’t ask for a better major league at-bat.”

The Dodgers tied the score, 3-3, in the sixth on Grissom’s 12th homer--a one-out, two-run shot to left-center against Arizona starter Robert Ellis.

But the Diamondbacks quickly reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the inning on Grace’s leadoff homer against Herges.

Grace hit his ninth homer on a 1-and-0 count and extended his hitting streak to a team-high 14 games.

With his pitch count rising, Adams struggled in the fifth and the Diamondbacks capitalized.

Damian Miller, who singled and scored Arizona’s first run in the third, led off with a single and moved to second on a groundout.

Adams struck out Ellis, then ran into some bad luck.

He struck out Tony Womack and should have been out of the inning, but the ball got away from catcher Paul Lo Duca, and Miller went to third and Womack to first on the wild pitch.

Adams contributed to his trouble when he balked in a run.

Bell singled to score Womack from second, giving the Diamondbacks a 3-1 lead and chasing Adams in an good performance under the circumstances.