Van Slyke rallies Dodgers
LOS ANGELES - Scott Van Slyke has been hearing the same story since his childhood days.
It's the one about the time his father was in the on-deck circle at Dodger Stadium when Jack Clark hit a go-ahead, three-run home run in Game 6 of the 1985 National League Championship Series for the St. Louis Cardinals.
Sunday night brought back a flood of memories for Andy Van Slyke, who was in the stands to see his son's first major league homer - another three-run shot that put the Los Angeles Dodgers ahead in the seventh inning of a 6-5 victory over the Cardinals, his hometown team.
"I also had a couple of friends in the stands from St. Louis, and we're all from St. Louis," Scott Van Slyke said. "So I'm sure a little piece of them was cringing. But whatever team it was against, I think it would have been just as thrilling."
Rookie Elian Herrera started the Dodgers' winning rally with a one-out single against reliever Victor Marte, and Bobby Abreu greeted Mark Rzepczynski (0-2) with a single.
Van Slyke got the green light from manager Don Mattingly on a 3-0 pitch and drove it into the left-field bullpen after Andre Ethier struck out.
"It was important that the home run counted for something and helped the team win," Van Slyke said.
