Rocker ovation in return
The Associated Press — John
Rocker drew a standing ovation even
before throwing a pitch. Mike
Hampton took a little longer to win
over the home fans.
On a night when Rocker heard
rousing cheers in his return to base
ball, Hampton earned his Hist victo
ry for the New York Mets.
Hampton, acquired by the Mets
last winter to be their ace, lost three
straight starts before beating the
Milwaukee Brewers 10-7 Tuesday
night at Shea Stadium.
“The first one’s tough,” Hampton
said. “You like to get off to a quick
start. I look forward to getting better
from here.”
Rocker was a fan favorite from
the moment he began warming up at
Thrner Field. One fan held up a sign
reading: “Rocker for President.”
Back with the Atlanta Braves
after a two-week suspension for dis
paraging remarks about minorities,
gays and immigrants, die reliever got
a standing ovation horn die crowd of
34,903 when he sprinted in from die
bullpen.
Rocker pitched a scoreless ninth
inning against Philadelphia, and die
Braves won 4-3 in the 12th on Brian
Hunter’s pinch-hit home run.
“Beat it, media,” Rocker shouted
at reporters who surrounded his
locker after the game. “Are you
deaf?”
Said outfielder Brian Jordan,
originally one of the reliever’s
sharpest critics: “It’s all out of the
way. Rocker’s back. Hopefully,
things will quiet down a little bit and
we can get back to baseball.”
In other NL games, Florida
stopped Pittsburgh 12-5, Arizona
beat Colorado 7-1, Los Angeles
defeated Houston 5-3* St. Louis
topped San Diego 5-4, San Francisco
beat Cincinnati 13-9 and Montreal
downed Chicago 4-3.
Robin Ventura made it easy for
Hampton, hitting a grand slam in the
fourth that put the Mets ahead 9-2.
Hampton began the five-run inning
with a single and Ventura capped it
with his 14th grand slam.
Ventura is the slam leader among
active players, one ahead of Mark
McGwire, Ken Griffey Jr. and
Harold Baines, and is tied with Gil
Hodges for ninth place on the career
list. Last year against Milwaukee,
Ventura became the first major lea
guer to hit a grand slam in both
games of a doubleheader.
“I don’t plan it. It’s an opportuni
ty you get from other guys in front of
you,” Ventura said.
In his previous game Sunday at
Pittsburgh, Ventura hit a three-run
homer and had six RBIs.
Pitching on a night when the
wind-chill factor dropped to 26
degrees, Hampton (1-3) gave up six
hits and walked six in 7 2-3 innings.
He left with a 6.33 ERA, a year after
he went 22-4 for Houston.
“He was throwing pitches for
strikes other than fastbaUs,” Mets
manager Bobby Valentine said- “It
was a terrific performance. His
cadence on the mound seemed bet
ter.” /
Braves 4, Phillies 3,12 innings
It was 3-3 in the ninth when
Rocker made his entrance. Greeted
by cheers, he struck out die first hit
ter he faced, Mickey Morandini.
Rocker preserved the tie and
when he left, so did a lot of fans.
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