Ken Griffey out with knee injury

Posted 11:45AM on Monday 8th April 2002 ( 23 years ago )

While Pat Burrell, Marcus Giles and Daryle Ward hit walkoff home runs, Ken Griffey Jr. hobbled off toward an uncertain future. On an afternoon full of hitting heroics in extra innings, plus a dominant pitching performance by Curt Schilling, an injury to Griffey attracted the most attention Sunday. Griffey will be sidelined at least 3-to-6 weeks after hurting his troublesome right knee in a rundown against Montreal. The Cincinnati star partially tore the patella tendon and partially dislocated his kneecap. ``This is a serious injury,'' Reds team doctor Timothy Kremchek said. Griffey hit his 461st career home run and a double before twisting his knee. The All-Star center fielder was put on the 15-day disabled list after a 10-inning, 6-5 win over the Expos. The Reds will try to treat him with rest and rehabilitation. Kremchek said there was an ``outside chance'' Griffey will need an operation. If surgery is required, Griffey would likely be lost for the rest of the season, the doctor said. Griffey missed most of the first three months last season because of a partially torn left hamstring. In other games, Arizona stopped Milwaukee 2-0, Atlanta beat New York 5-2 in 14 innings, Houston downed St. Louis 7-6 in 12 innings, Philadelphia defeated Florida 3-2 in 11 innings, San Francisco beat San Diego 10-1 and Los Angeles beat Colorado 6-4. Pittsburgh and Chicago were rained out at Wrigley Field. Griffey was hurt when he tried to score from third base, then stopped short. He was bothered during spring training by tendinitis in the same knee. ``You could see that he was in pain,'' said Sean Casey, whose single in the 10th won the game. ``That's the last thing you want to see. I know his knee's been bugging him for the past week or so. We don't need that cycle to start again,'' he said. Diamondbacks 2, Brewers 0 Schilling was overpowering at Miller Park, striking out a career-high 17 and pitching a one-hitter. The co-MVP of the World Series allowed only Raul Casanova's clean single to right field in the second inning. Schilling walked two and did not permit a runner past first base. In two games, Schilling (2-0) has pitched 16 scoreless innings, striking out 26 and giving up just seven hits. Arizona has thrown three shutouts in its first six games. Giants 10, Padres 1 Even without Barry Bonds in the lineup, San Francisco breezed at Pacific Bell Park and remained the only unbeaten team in the majors. At 6-0, the Giants are off to their best start since 1930. They've also outscored opponents 41-5. Bonds sat out to rest a sore right leg. The Giants didn't need him as Livan Hernandez held San Diego to four hits. Hernandez got three hits himself and drove in three runs. Jeff Kent homered in his second day back from the disabled list. Dodgers 6, Rockies 4 Kevin Brown bounced back from a brutal start on opening day, pitching and hitting Los Angeles to a three-game sweep at Dodger Stadium. Brown gave up four hits in seven shutout innings. He also delivered three hits, including his second career home run. Last Tuesday, Brown was tagged for seven runs and nine hits in four innings by the Giants. Colorado starter Mike Hampton was roughed up for six runs, 10 hits and five walks in six-plus innings. Braves 5, Mets 2, 14 innings Marcus Giles, off to a tough start this season, hit a three-run homer in the 14th inning to end the longest game ever at Turner Field. Giles, who made a key error Saturday night and struck out with the bases loaded Sunday, helped Atlanta avoid a three-game sweep. At four hours, 59 minutes, the game was the longest by time and innings since Turner Field opened in 1997. New York catcher Mike Piazza did not play a day after bruising his left knee in a home-plate collision with Chipper Jones. Astros 7, Cardinals 6, 12 innings Daryle Ward hit a leadoff homer off the right-field foul pole in the 12th inning and Houston beat St. Louis at Astros Field. The Astros scored three times in the ninth to tie it, but Ward grounded out with runners on first and third to end the inning. Houston loaded the bases with one out in the 11th. Cardinals center fielder Jim Edmonds caught Richard Hidalgo's fly ball and threw out Jose Vizcaino at the plate to preserve the tie. Edmonds also homered and stole home. Phillies 3, Marlins 2, 11 innings Pat Burrell homered to open the bottom of the 11th inning at Veterans Stadium. Cliff Floyd hit a solo homer in the ninth to give Florida a 2-1 lead. Philadelphia tied it when Burrell's single set up Mike Lieberthal's RBI single. Burrell connected off Braden Looper as the Marlins' bullpen once again struggled.

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