June 22, 2002
By Ian Browne / MLB.com
LOS ANGELES -- Shea Hillenbrand was the only Red Sox player who looked comfortable at Dodger Stadium Friday night, and there's a good reason for that. He grew up here. Pick any summer day during Hillenbrand's youth, and there was a good chance you could find him at Chavez Ravine.
But back in those days, a ticket was the only way he could get in. So Friday was the first time Hillenbrand ever had free access to this historic ballpark. And for that, Dodgers pitchers were left to pay the price.
He almost beat the Dodgers by himself, going 4-for-4 with two homers and a double. Unfortunately for the Red Sox, that heroic effort wasn't enough. The rest of the offense combined for just two hits in a 3-2 loss to Hideo Nomo, who pitched for Boston - and threw a no-hitter - last season.
But the loss aside, this was a night Hillenbrand won't soon forget. So much so that he didn't even attempt to downplay the excitement of fulfilling a childhood fantasy.
"I grew up a die-hard Dodgers fan," said Hillenbrand, who lived in Arcadia, Calif., during his childhood. "That was the only team I ever followed. If the Dodgers weren't on, I wasn't watching baseball. This was my ultimate dream baseball-wise. Just to some day in my life time just step on this field and be able to play."
What would a dream like that be without a couple of home runs mixed in?
"Once you dream about playing here, you dream about hitting a home run here," said Hillenbrand, who is having a breakout year in just his second Major League season. "Experiencing that in my second at bat of my first game at Dodgers Stadium ... I've had dreams the whole last week about just playing here. I had numerous dreams about it last night."
Hillenbrand was asked how many games he sat in those stands at Dodgers Stadium. He didn't even bother trying to put a number on it.
"You can't count," said Hillenbrand, who leads AL third basemen in All-Star balloting. "I lived here 14 years. My parents had season tickets every year. It was the ultimate to be able to come to Dodgers Stadium and experience a baseball game with my family and friends."
The only drawback for Hillenbrand - aside from the fact his team lost - was that the pitcher who suffered the brunt of his outburst was a friend.
During Nomo's one-year stay with the Red Sox, Hillenbrand was one of the players he bonded most with.
"That's the last person on that team I'd want to do anything to because he's a hell of a person," Hillenbrand said. "Hideo Nomo took me out for a lot of sushi dinners (last year). He's a great person."
And just the latest pitcher to be victimized by Hillenbrand, who beat the Padres earlier this week with a dramatic three-run homer in the eighth.
With the two longballs, Hillenbrand has 13 on the season, one more than he hit all of last season. The 49 RBIs tie the total from his rookie year. And there is more than half a season left.
The mild slump Hillenbrand had the last couple of weeks was put to rest this week.
"Shea had a very good night at the plate," said Red Sox manager Grady Little. "He hasn't been locked in like that for a couple of weeks and it was good to see him get back in the groove."
"I felt good tonight," said Hillenbrand.
Good enough to live out a dream.