Jordan Feels Right at Home in Dodger Win

Gary Sheffield reminded his former team he’s still a show-stopper no matter the uniform, and Brian Jordan also brought the crowd to its feet Tuesday night in the first regular-season showdown between the Dodgers and Atlanta Braves after their blockbuster off-season trade.

But it was the bit players who provided a stirring closing act for the Dodgers, helping them outlast the Braves, 6-5, in 16 innings to take the opener of a three-game series at Turner Field.

Jordan and Sheffield hit dramatic two-out, ninth-inning home runs, with Sheffield’s forcing extra innings after Jordan’s go-ahead blast, but the Dodgers got better overall performances from role players in winning the 5-hour 19-minute marathon before what remained of a crowd of 26,914.

Giovanni Carrara (2-0) gave up only two hits in working five stellar shutout innings. Jesse Orosco, the Dodgers’ sixth pitcher, overcame issuing a leadoff walk in the 16th to record his first save since 1999.

“There were a couple of step-up performances from two quality major league players,” Dodger Manager Jim Tracy said of Jordan and Sheffield. “The performance of Brian Jordan, the at-bat that Gary Sheffield gave them with two out in the bottom of the ninth inning. The resiliency, once again, of our bullpen.... It was a fantastic baseball game. That’s all you can say.”

After leadoff batter Cesar Izturis fouled out to start the 16th, Marquis Grissom singled to center for his second hit in seven at-bats.

With Shawn Green at the plate, Tracy sent Grissom, who easily beat catcher Javy Lopez’s throw, and advanced to third when the ball eluded Marcus Giles and rolled into center for an error. The Braves then decided to intentionally walk Green and pitch to Paul Lo Duca.

Lo Duca, hitless in five at-bats after staking the Dodgers to a 1-0 lead in the first on a run-scoring double, grounded to third baseman Vinny Castilla for what appeared to be the start of an inning-ending double play.

Castilla threw to Giles for the first out and, with Green running hard, Giles bounced a throw that beat Lo Duca. However, first baseman Julio Franco dropped the ball, enabling Grissom to score the go-ahead run.

“We get a run because Shawn Green went hard into second base to disrupt a double play,” Tracy said. Orosco immediately encountered problems on reliving Carrara, walking Lopez, who was forced on Franco’s fielder’s choice. Henry Blanco, batting for Kerry Ligtenberg, flied out and Giles struck out swinging to end the game.

Jordan, traded from the Braves to the Dodgers with Odalis Perez in a four-player deal for Sheffield on Jan. 15, broke a 4-4 tie in the ninth with a two-out solo shot to left against reliever Darren Holmes. But Sheffield also has a flair for the dramatic.

He matched Jordan’s big moment in the Braves half of the inning, connecting on a 96-mph fastball against closer Eric Gagne, hitting a 421-foot homer to center.

The homer was his first since April 4 against the Phillies, spanning 81 at-bats. Sheffield circled the bases in a trot the Dodgers had witnessed many times and pointed skyward on crossing the plate.

“I wasn’t surprised because I haven’t seen a fastball that man can’t hit,” Tracy said of Sheffield. “He lives for moments like that.”

Sheffield’s timely blast against Gagne was unsettling for the Dodgers, but they were even more frustrated by their failure to execute in key situations.

They left the bases loaded in the third and fourth and, tied at 4-4 in the sixth, they also failed to score the go ahead-run after Jeff Reboulet, batting for starter Hideo Nomo, led off with a double. He was stranded at third.

“I was happy for Sheff,” Jordan said. “He’s trying hard just like me--almost too hard. For him to come through for the Braves there was big.... I hated that he sent it into extra innings, but I’m happy for him.”