Worrell in a Different World : Dodgers: He’s gone from scapegoat to hero in a month, and stars again in 6-4 victory over Mets.

NEW YORK â€”  He was the guy who was unmercifully booed during opening-night ceremonies at Dodger Stadium. Teammates who dared show support for him were attacked in fan letters. He was the media’s favorite scapegoat.

Whenever the Dodgers talked trade, the fans’ eternal hope was that Worrell would be involved, no matter who the Dodgers received in return.

It was miserable being Todd Worrell and living in Los Angeles.

Well, funny what a month can do to change sentiments.

Worrell’s stunning performance Tuesday night secured the Dodgers’ 6-4 victory over the New York Mets at Shea Stadium, ended their six-game losing streak and provided confidence to a team that was starting to lose some of its hope.

Worrell, who had not been used before the ninth inning in a game all season, was summoned in the eighth. He had a 6-4 lead to work with, but there was this little problem. The bases were loaded. Oh yes, there also was nobody out.

“That’s the ultimate,� Worrell said, “the bases loaded with nobody out. If you don’t want to be in that position, you shouldn’t have the job.

“I pitch the best when the game is on the line.�

Ricky Otero was first up. The Mets say he’s their least-likely hitter to strike out. Worrell struck him out.

Next up, Edgardo Alfonzo. He hit a weak pop-up to first baseman Eric Karros. Two outs.

Next, Brett Butler. Remember him? Butler hit a pop-up to third baseman Tim Wallach in foul territory. Three outs.

All the Dodger players in the dugout stood and applauded while Worrell walked off the mound. In the ninth, Worrell took all of the suspense away when he retired the side 1-2-3, earning his third save and preserving his 0.00 earned-run average.

“That was one of the finest pieces of relief pitching I’ve ever seen,� Dodger Manager Tom Lasorda said. “To get us out of that inning . . . it was unbelievable. You couldn’t ask for anything more than that.�

Said Worrell: “That was a huge, huge, win for this team. It takes a lot of pressure off. This is a team game, but we had to have somebody take action. I was glad I was that man.�

It ended an emotional day for the Dodgers (11-14), who realized that management isn’t going to tolerate a losing season. They traded for all-star center fielder Roberto Kelly and left-handed reliever Joey Eischen for outfielder/first baseman Henry Rodriguez and infielder Jeff Treadway.

There were repercussions throughout the lineup. Raul Mondesi, first opposed to the idea, was moved from center field to right field. Second baseman Delino DeShields stayed at the bottom of the lineup, batting seventh. And Wallach, after batting cleanup most of last season, was batting sixth.

So what happens?

Mondesi throws out Todd Hundley at home plate on Butler’s two-out single in the sixth inning. “I think maybe they forgot I moved to right field,� said Mondesi, who also homered in the first inning, his ninth.

“At first, I didn’t really want to be moved back there. But the way I feel now, as long as I’m playing every day, I’m happy.�

DeShields goes two for three with a walk for his first multiple-hit game in three weeks. “I want to earn my way back to the top of the lineup,� said DeShields, who was given a pep-talk by Fred Claire, team executive vice president, before the game. “I don’t belong down here, and I’m going to prove I don’t.�

Wallach goes three for four with a run-scoring triple when Butler tried to make a shoe-string catch, and failed. “It’s just nice to be contributing again,� said Wallach, playing only his third game since coming off the disabled list.

And there was starter Hideo Nomo, who turned in six strong innings--yielding eight hits and four runs (three earned)--delighting several thousand Japanese fans who brought flags and Dr. K banners to root for him. There were so many folks cheering for Nomo among the paid crowd of 19,107, it actually prompted Mets fans to break into “U-S-A� chants, as if this were the Olympics.

The game turned out to be more of a catharsis for the Dodgers than a victory.

“Any time you win is big,� said Karros, who hit his fifth home run, “but the way we won it is bigger. It was great to see Delino and Wallach come through for us, and especially for Todd.�