Mondesi Would Prefer to Forget His Day at Shea

Center fielder Raul Mondesi didn’t expect to play Sunday against the New York Mets because of back pain.

And Mondesi wished he hadn’t played after struggling in the outfield during a 9-3 loss.

After missing the previous two games, he fought the sun throughout. Mondesi committed a key error in the third inning and misplayed other chances.

Because of the sun, Mondesi didn’t enjoy his day at the park.

“Oh, it was real bad all game,� said Mondesi, who went hitless in four at-bats and scored the Dodgers’ first run.

“I had no chance to make a play in front of me. If they hit the ball to the side, then I had a little chance. But I couldn’t do anything when the ball was right in front of me, because I couldn’t see it.�

The two-time Gold Glove winner committed an error in the third inning when he dropped a line drive by Edgardo Alfonzo while trying to make a running catch. The error helped the Mets score five unearned runs.

In the eighth, Lenny Harris wound up with a bloop single when Mondesi lost his popup in shallow center. That capped his frustrating day.

“I wasn’t sure where the balls were,� said Mondesi, whose back pain let up Sunday morning. “I saw the balls off the bat, and then I wouldn’t see them again until they fell.�

New York center fielder Brian McRae also had problems.

Typically a good fielder, McRae often appeared confused Sunday. He made several last-second adjustments.

“The sun was pretty bad for me at the start, but it was really bad for those guys,� left fielder Jim Eisenreich said. “I didn’t have any problems after the second inning, but Mondy told me how tough it was for him.

“And you saw what happened to McRae. That guy catches everything.�

The final game of the series is scheduled tonight.

“Good,� Mondesi said, “I can make some catches at night.�

*

Right fielder Gary Sheffield’s appeal of a three-game suspension for fighting will be heard today in New York by National League President Leonard Coleman.

Sheffield and Pittsburgh Pirate catcher Jason Kendall were suspended for three games for their roles in a June 28 bench-clearing brawl at Dodger Stadium. If his appeal is denied, as expected, Sheffield would immediately begin serving his suspension.

*

The Mets filed a formal protest with the league office about the Dodgers’ 4-3 victory Friday in the series opener.

New York claims that the Dodgers must forfeit the game because of a roster technicality.

TONIGHT

DODGERS’ DAVE MLICKI (5-5, 5.03 ERA) vs. METS’ HIDEO NOMO (5-8, 4.35 ERA)

Shea Stadium, 4:40 p.m. PDT

TV--Channel 5. Radio--AM 1150, KWKW (1330).

* Update--The reunion tour continues for the Dodgers and Mets as tonight’s starting pitchers face their former teammates. Mlicki and Nomo were the principles in a four-player deal on June 4. Mlicki is 4-1 with a 4.07 earned-run average in 10 starts since joining the Dodgers. He suffered his first defeat with the team in his most recent outing, 8-3, to the Philadelphia Phillies last Wednesday. Nomo has won three consecutive games, with a 1.89 ERA.