Dodgers Take Turn for Worse, Lose to Reds, 4-3

What had been evolving into another routine Dodger win Monday night was quickly transformed into a disarming 4-3 loss to the Cincinnati Reds, courtesy of an eighth inning that encompassed all sorts of unpredictable occurrences.

There were the Dodgers, coasting into the eighth with a 3-0 lead behind the dominant pitching of starter Tim Belcher and an adequate supply of offense. Six outs were all the Dodgers needed to turn back the Reds.

Then came the eighth inning, and the plot of this impending Dodger win fell apart like a bad spy novel.

By the time it had ended, the Dodgers’ National League West lead had been reduced to 3 1/2 games over the second-place San Francisco Giants and 4 1/2 games over the Houston Astros. The Dodgers have lost four of their last five games and were booed off the field by what remained of a Dodger Stadium crowd of 45,498.

Belcher, nursing a shutout through seven innings, was replaced by left-hander Jesse Orosco after giving up a single and a walk with one out in the eighth. Orosco then walked Kal Daniels on four pitches to load the bases, setting off a chain of misfortune.

Alejandro Pena, perhaps the Dodgers’ most capable reliever, was then summoned.

Pena got Barry Larkin to hit a high chopper over the mound, assuring the Reds of one run. Shortstop Dave Anderson and second baseman Steve Sax, figuring that Pena would not field the ball, charged the mound, as did first baseman Pedro Guerrero. Pena eventually fielded the ball and turned to second, only to find no one covering but everyone yelling for him to throw to first.

Pena’s throw to first was about as accurate as Orosco’s pitches to home plate. The ball skidded past Guerrero and into foul territory, allowing a second run to score and putting runners on second and third. Chris Sabo, mired in a 1-for-32 slump, then lined Pena’s second pitch up the middle to score both runners and give the Reds a 4-3 lead in a stunning turnaround.

“In that kind of situation, I should’ve thrown the ball right away to first base,” Pena said. “But it was a mistake that cost us the game. I knew I had no chance at home or second. I’m not going to make excuses, but everybody makes mistakes.”

Pena said that, in all the confusion during the chopper’s descent, no Dodger infielder told him where to make the play. Catcher Rick Dempsey, however, said that the infielders, in four-part harmony, yelled to throw to first base.

“Almost every infielder yelled something,” Dempsey said. “It was a mistake that reflected every bad thing we did from the seventh inning on. It wasn’t just Pena’s fault. We all were to blame.”

But the action was far from over after the Dodgers’ defensive follies.

With two outs and Kirk Gibson on first in the eighth, Red Manager Pete Rose brought in ace reliever John Franco to face Guerrero. Franco was attempting to earn his 13th consecutive save in his 13th consecutive appearance, which would have tied a National League record.

Home plate umpire Terry Tata called a balk on Franco’s first pitch, waving Gibson to second base. The call infuriated Franco, who waved his arms and yelled at Tata that he had come to a complete stop. When Franco’s words turned profane, Tata ejected him from the game.

It left the Reds with only left-hander Rob Murphy among their rested and available relievers. Murphy hurriedly warmed up, then ran the count to 2-and-2 on Guerrero. Murphy’s next pitch was in the dirt, and Guerrero trotted to first base unaware that it was only ball three. Tata waved Guerrero back. Two pitches later, Guerrero struck out.

Things calmed down a bit in the bottom of the ninth inning, as Murphy pitched impressively. He struck out Mike Marshall and got John Shelby to fly to center. Although he gave up singles to Rick Dempsey and pinch-hitter Mickey Hatcher, Murphy picked up his second save by striking out pinch-hitter Jose Gonzalez.

In a quiet clubhouse, the Dodgers tried to sort out how a game that was going so right for seven innings suddenly went so wrong.

Manager Tom Lasorda said that after Belcher walked pinch-hitter Dave Collins to bring the left-handed hitting Daniels to the plate representing the tying run, he wanted to go with the left-handed Orosco, who had given up two runs in his last outing.

“Then, if (Orosco) didn’t--or did--get Daniels out, the right-hander (Pena) pitches to Larkin,” said Lasorda, abiding by the percentages. “But we beat ourselves, no question.”

The win went to Danny Jackson (14-5), who gave up a first-inning home run to Tracy Woodson and single runs in the second and fourth before being pulled for a pinch-hitter in the eighth. It was Jackson’s seventh victory in his last eight starts.

Belcher, who had a no-decision in his best outing since his May 15 complete-game win, didn’t want to talk.

“What I’ve got to say is better left unsaid,” Belcher said. “We got beat, and I’m not happy.”

Belcher, however, confirmed that he felt strong enough to continue. Dempsey said so, too, but defended Lasorda’s decision because of the usually dependable Dodger bullpen.

“Tommy, he’s been doing well bringing in the relief pitchers in the seventh or eighth,” Dempsey said. “In reality, Pena came in and got the chopper that should have got us out of the inning.”

Sometime during the high chopper’s descent into Pena’s glove, the Dodgers’ would-be reality was suspended and their nightmare ensued.

Dodger Notes

Fernando Valenzuela completed his second day of rehabilitative exercises, and trainer Charlie Strasser said the Dodgers do not expect immediate improvement in his injured left shoulder. “The first two days have gone well,” Strasser said of Valenzuela. “You won’t see major improvement right off the bat. I think (Fernando) is happy and glad to know what is wrong with him.” Strasser said Valenzuela, who will accompany the Dodgers on their upcoming trip to Houston and Cincinnati, will be examined by Dr. Frank Jobe again late next week. Strasser said it is too early to speculate on when Valenzuela will pick up a baseball again.

Mario Soto, rehabilitating from his shoulder surgery in 1986, is at least two weeks away from pitching, according to Strasser. Strasser, however, said there is a chance Soto will be able to pitch this season. Soto threw 15 minutes of batting practice Monday. The next step, according to trainers, will be pitching in a simulated game and then perhaps rehabilitative starts in the minor leagues. . . . Don Sutton (sore right elbow) will make his third rehabilitative start tonight in Bakersfield. Sutton says he has not been told whether this will be his last start in Class A before being activated, or even if he will be Valenzuela’s eventual replacement. “I don’t know what my situation is; I’m just trying to improve my ERA in single-A,” Sutton said, laughing. As per his unusual contract agreement, Sutton earned a $75,000 incentive bonus for being on the Dodger roster Aug. 1.