Piazza shakes up Mota in Mets-Dodgers battle

Mike Piazza got no hits against Los Angeles in his final Grapefruit League game. Instead, he got in plenty of shoves against Guillermo Mota.

The Mets' star and Mota tangled and the benches emptied Thursday in New York's 5-1 win over the Dodgers' split squad.

Mota, acquired from Montreal last week, hit Piazza in the backside with a 3-0 pitch in the seventh inning in Vero Beach, Fla.

Piazza gave the reliever an angry look and was replaced by a pinch runner. Piazza remained on the Mets' bench rather than head to the clubhouse.

When Mota passed the Mets' bench on his way to the clubhouse in the middle of the eighth, Piazza confronted him, grabbed him by the shirt and the shoving started.

"Right now, I can't say anything," Piazza said after being hit by a pitch for the fourth time this spring. "Give me a day or two and I'll talk about it."

The episode continued a turbulent start to Mota's career with the Dodgers. A day earlier, he faced the Expos and gave up six runs without retiring a batter.

"I don't want to talk about it," Mota said. "These last couple of days here have been unbelievable."

Dodgers pitching coach Jim Colborn said Mota told him he was trying to apologize to Piazza when the altercation began.

"It's absolutely impossible to interpret that as something intentional," Colborn said.

CUBS: Tom Gordon and Bill Mueller were officially placed on the 15-day disabled list as Chicago set its 25-man roster.

The Cubs also returned infielder Angel Echevarria and reliever Joe Borowski to minor league camp. The Cubs will have 11 pitchers, three catchers, six infielders and five outfielders on their roster for Monday's season opener in Cincinnati.

PHILLIES: Philadelphia traded minor league outfielder and former first-round draft pick Reggie Taylor to the Reds for a player to be named.

Taylor, 25, was expected to report to the Reds in time for their game Thursday night against the New York Yankees in Tampa.

Taylor batted .356 (16-for-45) with four doubles, one triple and three RBIs this spring for the Phillies.

TRIBUTES: To remember the tragic events of Sept. 11, there will be a minute of silence at 9:11 p.m. at every major league team's first night game this season.

In addition, "God Bless America" will continue to be sung during the seventh-inning stretch of all games until further notice.

The patriotic displays and tributes planned by major league baseball include a ceremonial first pitch ball with a stars-and-stripes design and a special logo for the Memorial Day weekend and July 4 holiday.

-- From wire reports