Grissom’s Catch Not Out of the Blue

As spectacular as Marquis Grissom’s game-saving catch was Monday night, when the center fielder leaped to rob Rich Aurilia of extra bases--and probably a home run--to lead off the ninth inning of the Dodgers’ 7-6 win over the Giants, it seemed almost routine to Grissom.

“I might make that catch five times a day,” Grissom said. “It all begins with the jump. You can’t make that catch unless you practice it.”

And you can’t practice it unless you have a patient coach who is handy with a fungo bat.

Grissom has that in first-base coach John Shelby, who spends several minutes during batting practice most days hitting balls from behind second base toward the wall, so Grissom can hone his home run-robbing skills.

“You sacrifice a lot of baseballs [that go over the wall], but that’s something I do with a lot of center fielders,” Shelby said. “He’s worked on it quite a bit.”

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It had been more than 14 years--July 9, 1988, to be exact--since Bonds homered off Jesse Orosco, but the two-run shot Bonds hit off Orosco in the seventh inning Monday night--home run No. 611--had a familiar ring to it.

“It was the same pitch [as the 1988 home run to Bonds], a fastball right down the middle,” Orosco said. “I figured, hey, we won [the World Series] in 1988, let’s see if it works out that way again.”

The home run, which pulled the Giants within 6-5 at the time, was only Bonds’ fourth hit in 25 at-bats against Orosco. Bonds’ previous homer against Orosco came as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates.

“He got me, but we’ll keep battling over and over,” Orosco said. “I’ve won the battle for a long time--I’m just glad we didn’t lose the game because of it [Monday night]. I’ve had a great run against Barry, but you can’t go out there and think you’re going to win that battle every time.”

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The 10th man came into play Monday night for the Dodgers when Giant right fielder Tom Goodwin, the former Dodger, fumbled Adrian Beltre’s fifth-inning foul ball at the rail and had a fan swipe it from his glove.

After the play, Goodwin leaned back against the wall in foul territory while the fan verbally berated him.

“He was screaming at me,” Goodwin said. “I told him I felt like I was still a Dodger, I was getting booed so much. I had to check my uniform.”

Beltre, getting a second chance, hit a two-run double to give the Dodgers a 6-3 lead.

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Grissom was nominated Tuesday as a finalist for the 2002 Roberto Clemente Award, which recognizes the player who best exemplifies the game of baseball, sportsmanship, community involvement and the individual’s contribution to his team. One nominee was selected from each of the 30 major league clubs, and the winner is announced during the World Series.

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TONIGHT

DODGERS’

KEVIN BEIRNE

(1-0, 279 ERA)

vs.

GIANTS’

RUSS ORTIZ

(12-10, 3.57 ERA)

Dodger Stadium, 7 p.m.

TV--Fox Sports Net 2. Radio--KXTA (1150), KWKW (1330).

Update--Beirne will be making his third major league start, but if Friday night’s game in Colorado is any indication, the right-hander should be able to handle the pressure. Beirne limited the Rockies to two runs and seven hits in 5 1/3 innings and left with a 4-2 lead, but the Dodgers gave up three runs in the seventh and lost, 5-4. Right-hander Ortiz has won his last four starts, logging a 1.52 ERA and limiting opponents to a .221 average.

Tickets--(323) 224-1448.