Some Familiar Faces Cost Dodgers a Win

Todd Hundley has friends on the Dodgers and wishes his former team well.

But that did not stop him from reveling in his ninth-inning single Sunday afternoon that gave the Chicago Cubs a 3-2 victory over the Dodgers and completed a three-game sweep at Wrigley Field before a crowd of 36,050.

His blooper to shallow left field off Matt Herges (1-3) dropped in front of Gary Sheffield, and Gary Matthews Jr. scored the winning run from second base when the ball handcuffed Sheffield and caromed off his glove.

Rondell White led off the inning with a double and Matthews ran for him after Sammy Sosa was walked intentionally.

Hundley was on deck and eager for a challenge.

“Yeah, it felt good,” said Hundley, two for 11 with a homer and four runs batted in during the series. “It’s a personal thing, I like a lot of those guys over there, [but] you’ve got to get that stuff out of the way and just get down to baseball and taking care of business.”

The catcher’s knowledge of Dodger hitters also helped in the Cubs’ first three-game sweep of the Dodgers at Wrigley Field since 1972, and their first overall since 1995.

Utilizing Hundley’s tips, Cub pitchers limited the Dodgers to 15 hits and three runs.

Tom Gordon (1-0) had two strikeouts in a perfect ninth to get the victory after starter Jason Bere was charged with two runs in 7 1/3 innings.

Eric Young, another former Dodger, also had a key role in the victory, tying the score at 2-2 in the eighth with a sacrifice fly.

The Dodgers wasted Eric Gagne’s effective outing.

In seven strong innings, Gagne gave up only one hit--Young’s fourth-inning infield single--and an unearned run.

The right-hander left with a 2-1 lead on Sheffield’s two-out, run-scoring single in the eighth.

Shortstop Alex Cora committed his team-high eighth error in the bottom of the inning, contributing to the Cubs tying the score with Mike Fetters on the mound.

The Dodgers finished 2-4 on the six-game trip after taking two of three from the Cincinnati Reds.

They had hoped for more.

“They shut us down offensively over the course of the past three days,” Manager Jim Tracy said. “You have to give this ballclub we played a lot of credit too.

“They’re battling right now and they’re playing good baseball. They did what they had to do in the eighth and ninth innings, not only to tie the game but to win it.

“Todd’s base hit wasn’t hit all that well. But obviously, in that situation, you don’t have to hit it real well to get the job done, and that’s what happened.”

Hundley could have gloated but took the high road.

“Like I said, I’ve got a lot of good friends over there,” said Hundley, the Dodgers’ most productive left-handed batter last season.

“I’ve seen a lot of guys grow and grow up over there. You’re not going to stick it in their face and rub it in. I’m not going to pop off. That’s the bottom line, I’m just not going to do that.”

Neither would Young.

“It’s not so much about sweeping the Dodgers, we want to sweep anybody who comes in,” said the leadoff batter, five for 11 with two RBIs and two runs in the series.

“I was just real happy for Todd. He was one of the players I admired most when I was with the Dodgers because of everything this guy had to deal with in ’99 when he was struggling throwing the ball down there to second base.

“But you know what? He didn’t blame anybody or make any excuses. He just went about his business, worked hard, tried to improve and never complained. That’s something I just admired the whole time because he kept a positive attitude, and I’m happy he’s over here with us now.”