Wallach’s Hit Isn’t Gone; Russell May Not Be Either

Philadelphia center fielder Wendell Magee went over the fence to end it, and Fred Claire all but got off the fence when asked if Bill Russell will return as Dodger manager next season on a busy Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium.

Choose your dramas:

Timing his leap perfectly, reaching over and beyond the left-center field wall, and stunning the Dodgers along the way, Magee robbed Tim Wallach of what would have been a game-tying homer with two outs in the ninth to seal the Phillies’ 3-1 victory before 35,427.

“There was no doubt in my mind it was gone,” Wallach said after the game. “That shocked me. I don’t know why, because I’ve seen it happen more than once here.”

Wallach said he has never had a ball that was actually out of the park brought back in for an out. “I crushed it,” he said.

Magee, though, never seemed worried about the ball, moving back, circling at the wall, then up and away.

“I thought it was a routine fly,” Magee said. “I turned around, saw the fence, and got ready.”

And saved the game.

The loss, coupled with San Diego’s victory over Montreal, dropped the Dodgers 1 1/2 games behind the first-place Padres. But during the game Tuesday, Claire suggested that Dodger management is not holding a microscope to everything Russell does to decide if he will return next season.

“I think I have been very consistent with what I’ve said about Bill,” the Dodger vice president said. “He’s done a good job--he’s doing a good job, and the staff has been very supportive of him and what he’s doing.

“When you ask about the situation, all I say is look at history. No, we haven’t made an announcement. But, am I pleased with how he’s handling the situation? Am I pleased with how the team is playing? The answer to those questions is yes.

“And we have a pretty good track record in these situations.”

Interim manager? Who said Russell was an interim manager?

Certainly not the Dodgers, Claire said, pointedly agreeing that Russell’s status is not much different than Tom Lasorda’s during his 20 years as manager or Walter Alston during his 23-year run. Both served on one-year contracts during their tenures.

“Maybe one of the more secure one-year arrangements in the history of sports,” Claire said. “Not maybe. Is.”

So if people read these comments--and his comments in Tuesday’s editions of the Long Beach Press Telegram that indicated Russell definitely would be back--they can assume Russell is secure?

“What they come away with,” Claire said, “is what they come away with.”

After the game, Russell shrugged when Claire’s words were repeated to him.

“Did he say it when we were behind or when we were tied?” Russell said with a smile.

Under Russell, the Dodgers are 25-24 overall, and 11-9 since Lasorda retired.

“I don’t think about [long-term security],” Russell said. “We’re in a pennant race, and my job is to do what I can to get this team to win.

“All I know is I’ve been told I’m managing this team this rest of the season, I’m going to do my best, and we’ll see what happens.”

What happened Tuesday is that Dodger starter Ismael Valdes hung tough through eight innings, giving up only one run despite 10 Phillie hits.

But with two outs in the top of the ninth, pinch-hitter Ruben Amaro homered off Antonio Osuna to give Philadelphia the 3-1 lead.

The Dodgers struggled all night against Phillie starter David West, who did not give up a hit until two outs in the fourth and gave up only three hits in six innings.

The Phillies went ahead, 1-0, in the third inning, when right fielder Raul Mondesi’s throw skipped past catcher Mike Piazza as Kevin Stocker slid into home after Magee’s bloop single.

The Dodgers tied it in the seventh when Delino DeShields scored from third on a ground ball by Eric Karros.