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Grand gesture Lee slams Dodgers, sends Phillies into first-place tie
Updated: Saturday August 11, 2001 11:30 PM
PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Travis Lee wasn't worried about his slump before the game. He really has nothing to be concerned about now. Lee hit a grand slam and Robert Person pitched seven solid innings as the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 7-3 on Saturday. "I didn't feel horrible. I just wasn't hitting," said Lee, who was 6-for-41 before hitting the slam. The Phillies moved into a tie with Atlanta for first place in the NL East. Los Angeles fell a half-game behind Arizona for first in the West. The Diamondbacks beat the Braves 3-1 on Saturday. "Too many games left to play to worry about that," Dodgers manager Jim Tracy said. Scott Rolen had three hits, including a homer, and Johnny Estrada also homered for Philadelphia. Dodgers starter Eric Gagne (4-5) got in trouble in the first after Jimmy Rollins and Marlon Anderson started the inning with singles. Rolen struck out, but Bobby Abreu walked to load the bases. Gagne then retired Pat Burrell on a shallow fly to right before Lee hit the first pitch over the left-center field wall for his 16th homer and a 4-0 lead. Burrell, who hit a slam Friday night, was 11-for-22 with the bases full before his flyout. "With Burrell up, I thought he'd do it again," Lee said. "His first pitch was a changeup and I went with it." Said Gagne: "I just didn't get it down." Person (10-6) allowed three runs and five hits. He struck out eight and walked none. Person is 6-1 in his last seven decisions. Turk Wendell pitched a perfect eighth, and Jose Mesa worked the ninth. "I had good stuff, and I felt strong," Person said. "My location was better today." The Dodgers cut it to 4-1 on Paul Lo Duca's RBI groundout in the third. But first baseman Eric Karros misplayed a two-out grounder by Rollins, allowing Lee to score as the Phillies took a 5-1 lead in the fourth. Los Angeles scored twice in the fifth to close to 5-3. With one out and runners on second and third, pinch-hitter Dave Hansen fouled out to first base. But Person and catcher Estrada went after the ball along with Lee, leaving home plate uncovered as Adrian Beltre scored. Hansen was credited with a sacrifice fly and Lo Duca followed with an infield single, scoring Alex Cora. "I go hard after every foul ball," Person said. "I've seen too many times where somebody bobbles it or doesn't see it. It was a heads-up play by the runner. I've never seen that before." Estrada homered off Giovanni Carrara to make it 6-3 in the sixth. Rolen made it 7-3 with his 13th homer in the seventh off Mike Trombley. Since being criticized on Monday by Dallas Green, senior adviser to general manager Ed Wade, Rolen is 10-for-19 (.526) with three homers and six RBIs in five games. "I feel more comfortable at the plate, and I've always had confidence in the field," said Rolen, who made three outstanding plays defensively. Notes: Rolen dived to his right to make a terrific, backhanded catch on a liner by Gary Sheffield in the sixth. He made another great play on Sheffield in the eighth, diving to his right to field a grounder and throwing from his knees. ... Person hit Cora in the third then appeared to hit Gagne, who was trying to bunt. But home plate umpire Brian Runge ruled that Gagne offered at the pitch. ... The Phillies had lost six in a row to Los Angeles before winning the last two. ... Los Angeles had won six consecutive series against NL opponents on the road. ... Person tied a career-high with his 10th win. He was 10-5 in 1999.
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