‘Other’ Sanders Wins It

Reggie Sanders hit a tiebreaking homer and Gabe White got his first major league victory in two years as the Cincinnati Reds beat the Dodgers, 3-2, Saturday night.

The Dodgers lost for only the fourth time in their last 14 games.

Sanders’ solo homer, his 14th, snapped a 2-2 tie in the sixth inning. It was the only extra-base hit off Ismael Valdes (6-10), who gave up seven hits and struck out seven in 7 1/3 innings.

Chris Stynes, called up Thursday when outfielder Curtis Goodwin left the Reds, made his NL debut and tied his career high with three hits off Valdes. Stynes also had three hits in two games with Kansas City last year.

White (1-0), making his first big league appearance since the end of the 1995 season, held the Dodgers to a pair of runs on five hits in seven innings. He struck out five.

The left-hander had not started a major league game since Sept. 27, 1995, for Montreal. His 3-3 career record includes only one other victory as a starter--4-2 for the Expos over Colorado in his big league debut on May 27, 1994.

Stan Belinda pitched a perfect eighth and Jeff Shaw pitched the ninth for his 22nd save in 26 appearances.

The Reds improved to 6-9 under Manager Jack McKeon with only their seventh victory in their last 21 games.

Both starters settled in after struggling at the outset, resulting in a 2-2 tie after the third inning.

White gave up an RBI double to Eric Karros in the first inning and a run-scoring single to Greg Gagne in the second. He gave up only one more hit the rest of his stint.

Valdes, making his third start since returning from a hamstring injury, wasted a pair of one-run leads. Deion Sanders scored on a fielder’s choice in the first to tie it. Stynes singled, stole second and came around on Eduardo Perez’s single in the third.

Since returning from the hamstring injury, Valdes is 0-2 with a no-decision, giving up six earned runs and 20 hits in 20 2/3 innings.

The Dodgers, who had scored 19 runs in the last two games, didn’t do much offensively against the Reds.

Mike Piazza is 0 for 8 in the series and has gotten only one ball out of the infield.

Raul Mondesi went 0 for 4 with three strikeouts, ending his hitting streak at 11 games.

Shortstop Barry Larkin was scratched from the Reds’ lineup because of a sore left calf.