Dodgers Beat Reds By a Foot

Coming off their most grueling trip of the season, you couldn’t blame the Dodgers for being a bit sluggish Monday night as they opened a homestand.

The Dodgers were trying to get their bearings after playing 12 games in 14 days in four cities and having just flown cross-country the night before.

Plus, they were facing undefeated Cincinnati Red ace Denny Neagle, who was riding a 16-game unbeaten streak that had him going 10-0 with a 3.03 earned-run average dating to August 30, 1999.

Sluggish? Well, the Dodgers managed only two hits through five innings, blew a two-run lead, and finally came to life in the 14th inning, well after Neagle had exited.

That’s when Cincinnati catcher Eddie Taubensee failed to touch home plate, allowing Todd Hundley to score from third, resulting in a 4-3 Dodger victory in front of what was left of a crowd of 31,000. The win extended the Dodgers’ winning streak to a season-high six games.

Cincinnati reliever Manny Aybar walked Hundley to start the 14th. After Kevin Elster sacrificed him to second, Aybar’s wild pitch to pinch-hitter Chad Kreuter allowed Hundley to advance to third. Kreuter worked a full count before drawing a walk.

Another wild pitch by Aybar allowed Kreuter to move to second. Todd Hollandsworth was then walked intentionally before Mark Grudzielanek grounded to Barry Larkin at short. After Taubensee leaped to catch Larkin’s throw, he did not touch home plate, according to home plate umpire Dan Iassogna, ending the game at 4 hours, 35 minutes.

Rookie right-hander Matt Herges, who pitched two innings of scoreless relief, picked up the win to improve to 3-0.

The Dodgers had a 2-0 lead after two innings thanks to Shawn Green’s first-inning home run and Eric Karros’ second-inning shot.

The Reds tied the score on a run-scoring single by Larkin in the sixth and a pinch-hit home run by Michael Tucker in the eighth.

In the top of the 11th, Dodger closer Jeff Shaw gave up a two-out infield single to Alex Ochoa, who then stole second. Dante Bichette doubled to the left-field corner, scoring Ochoa.

The Dodgers answered when Eric Karros hit a bases-loaded sacrifice fly to center that scored Mark Grudzielanek.

But it wasn’t all good news for the Dodgers as Adrian Beltre hit into a double play that ended with Gary Sheffield, who tried to break up the play at second, writhing on the ground, clutching at his right ankle.

Despite giving up two early home runs, Neagle’s streak remains intact as he did not figure in the decision. He pitched seven innings and gave up two runs and four hits. He struck out four and walked one while throwing 87 pitches, 54 for strikes.

Dodger starter Darren Dreifort showed no ill effects after tweaking his knee sliding into third base Wednesday at Chicago’s Wrigley Field. He gave up two runs and six hits in eight innings and struck out four. He did not walk a batter while throwing 97 pitches, 63 for strikes.

Green started things for the Dodgers when he hit his second home run in as many days with two out in the first. Green hit a 2-1 Neagle offering to the right-center field pavilion. It was the ninth homer for Green, who hit a grand slam Sunday at Florida.

In the second inning, Karros led off with his 13th homer, a solo shot to left-center.

The Dodgers would not get another hit until Grudzielanek singled with one out in the sixth.

Dreifort, meanwhile, was cruising until the sixth.

After giving up a lead-off single to Reese, Dreifort was called for a balk on a pick-off attempt to first. Reese advanced to second and scored on Larkin’s single.

Dreifort then worked Ken Griffey Jr. to a full count before striking him out for the second time. Larkin stole second on the pitch and moved to third on Dmitri Young’s ground out.

But Dreifort got Bichette to ground out to end the threat.

The Dodgers managed to get two one-out base hits against Neagle in the sixth but couldn’t do anything with them. Sheffield hit a ball hard into the hole at short, but shortstop Larkin started a 6-4-3 double play.

Tucker, batting for Neagle in the eighth, tied the score, 2-2, with his opposite-field shot to left-center on an 0-1 Dreifort pitch.