There’s Still Some Punch Left in Dodgers

These guys have some fight left in them after all.

The Dodgers first used their bats to pummel the Seattle Mariners, and then their fists after being provoked, in completing a three-game interleague series sweep with a 14-3 victory Sunday afternoon marked by a sprawling sixth-inning, bench-clearing brawl at Dodger Stadium.

Mariner reliever Frankie Rodriguez ignited the hand-to-hand combat with a one-out brushback pitch near the head of shortstop Mark Grudzielanek. Rodriguez repeatedly uttered a four-letter word while challenging Grudzielanek to retaliate, and the attentive crowd of 43,211 knew what was coming next.

“Obviously, he [Rodriguez] threw pretty high and that upset me a little bit,” Grudzielanek said. “It surprised me that he jumped out and said some pretty vulgar things, and you see what happened from there.”

Of course, Rodriguez pleaded innocence.

“I wasn’t trying to hit him,” Rodriguez said. “I’ve got pretty good control, if I wanted to hit him I would have, but I didn’t. When he [Grudzielanek] came out [toward the mound], all I said is I wasn’t trying to throw at him.”

The Dodgers disagreed.

The dugouts emptied and several one-on-one bouts occurred within the larger wrestling match. Umpires scurried from pile to pile while trying to separate players and coaches as fans booed and threw trash on the field.

And when it appeared the melee had finally ended, Seattle first baseman David Segui stirred things by seemingly challenging the entire Dodger dugout. When order was eventually restored after about 15 minutes, umpires ejected outfielder Jay Buhner, and relievers Jose Paniagua, Damaso Marte and Jose Mesa of the Mariners. Longtime Dodger observers considered it the lengthiest brawl involving the team.

The Dodgers were forced to play without catcher Todd Hundley, reliever Pedro Borbon and bullpen coach Rick Dempsey. Moreover, there were injuries to key players on both sides.

Rookie catcher Angel Pena suffered a strained left forearm, and infielder Dave Hansen needed stitches to close a cut on his right pinky. The Mariners were hit hardest, losing utilityman Charles Gipson with a possible season-ending right-shoulder separation, and outfielder Brian Hunter with a hyperextended left knee.

So much for a relaxing afternoon.

The Dodgers, though, weren’t complaining. They capped a disappointing first half by pounding 15 hits against the Mariners (42-45). They scored their most runs this season in support of starter Darren Dreifort (7-8).

They have won four in a row for only the second time, and they shut down the American League’s second-best offense in the process. The Mariners scored only four runs in the series and hit two home runs, including the 29th--a two-run shot--by center fielder Ken Griffey Jr. before Sunday’s other explosion.

The Dodgers (39-47) remain in the National League West basement, and they finished the first half under .500 for the ninth time since 1969. But the Dodgers are playing as well as they have since opening the season 5-1.

They enter the All-Star break with hope, and the Mariners helped provide that feeling.

“I don’t have much of a voice left because I was shouting, ‘Get back, Get back,’ ” Manager Davey Johnson said. “You never like to see anything like that happen, but these things are part of the game. Baseball is a grueling sport at times and sometimes this happens when you’re frustrated.

“But anyone who thought that this ballclub did not have spirit and heart, we dispelled that today. I mean, we’re not going to be pushed around.”

Apparently not.

The altercations began in the sixth after Trenidad Hubbard had given the Dodgers a 12-3 lead with a three-run double against Rodriguez with Grudzielanek on deck.

Rodriguez sent his next pitch near Grudzielanek’s head.

That triggered a shouting match between the players and Rodriguez motioned to Grudzielanek to come to the mound.

Then it was on.