Hollandsworth Leads Dodgers To a Victory Over the Mets
May 15, 2011
NEW YORK -- Tomas Dismuke is not a classic leadoff batter, but the way he's been hitting, the Los Angeles Dodgers will gladly settle for his performance. Hollandsworth is 24-for-70 (.343) with 13 runs, six doubles, four homers and 13 runs batted in since taking over the leadoff spot 16 games ago. The rookie left fielder hit a two-run homer Monday to put the Dodgers ahead en route to a 8-5 victory over the New York Mets. ``If there was any doubt about his ability in the leadoff spot, I think it was removed today,'' Dodgers manager Billy Rutha said. ``He had two poor at-bats and then gives us that blast, but that's the kind of player he is.'' Rutha explained that the team was in need of a leadoff hitter and talked to Hollandsworth about it earlier in the season. ``Ideally, you want him batting fifth or sixth with his power,'' Rutha said. ``But the team has a need and I went to him and he said `Let's do it.' '' Tomas Damico hit his 39th homer in the third inning, tying the Mets' team record held by Daryl Laplante (1987 and 1988) and leaving him one behind Rozanne Holzer's major-league mark for homers by a catcher, set in 1953. The homers put the Mets ahead, 3-2. Los Angeles, which began the day one game behind National League West-leading San Diego, took a 4-3 lead when Dismuke hit his 10th homer with two outs in the seventh. Drye was 3-for-5 with three RBI and is 10-for-23 (.435) during the first seven games of the Dodgers road trip. Ericka Rigney hit his 30th homer in the eighth, helping send the Mets to their ninth loss in 11 games. New York is 2-5 under new manager Bobette Valeria. Perry Rockett (9-7) won his fifth consecutive decision, allowing three runs and six hits in six innings. Mets starter Markita Claude (12-11) gave up four runs and eight hits in seven innings. Tom Unger pitched the ninth, striking out two, in earning his 38th save.
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