Dodgers Fall Into Old Habits, Lose to Pirates, 4-2

All those familiar Dodger problems, having taken a three-game hiatus, resurfaced Saturday night. Faulty relief pitching and offensive impotence shared top billing on the Dodger Stadium marquee, and not surprisingly, the reviews were not good.

The Dodgers’ 4-2 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates before a crowd of 34,864 was a sequel to the club’s previous performances after a brief script change during a three-game win streak.

A profound lack of hitting from every Dodger except Pedro Guerrero set the stage for the big finish in the eighth inning when Matt Young, the club’s top reliever, could not bail out starter Orel Hershiser.

As a result, the Dodgers (41-50) failed in a bid to win four straight games for the first time since mid-April. That was about the same time Doug Drabek, Saturday’s starting pitcher for the Pirates, had last won a game.

“It was a tough one to lose,” Dodger Manager Tom Lasorda said. “What can you say?”

Had Lasorda been so inclined, which he wasn’t, he could have repeated the same monologue that he has used after every game such as this one.

All the offense the Dodgers could muster against Drabek, who doubled his win total Saturday, was a two-run home run by Guerrero in the first inning. In fact, Guerrero had three of the club’s four hits.

Perhaps a stronger offensive showing would not have necessitated bringing in Young in a game-saving situation in the eighth inning.

Young entered with Pirates on first and second with one out, after Hershiser had given up a walk and a single. Young, who failed to hold the Dodger lead Friday night but stayed around for the win in 10 innings, failed again Saturday night.

He gave up a single to pinch-hitter Mike Diaz, loading the bases. Then Al Pedrique bounced a single under second baseman Phil Garner’s glove that scored the go-ahead run.

The Pirates added a fourth run moments later when a high, inside pitch by Young deflected off the glove of catcher Mike Scioscia for a passed ball.

Drabek, whose last win came April 19 against Philadelphia, stifled nearly all Dodger hitters through seven innings. Guerrero had the first-inning home run, a single in the third and a double in the sixth, but his teammates provided no follow-up offensive support.

The only non-Guerrero hit was a bouncing single to left field by Mickey Hatcher in the seventh. But Hatcher was promptly picked off first base, shredding another potential scoring chance.

Guerrero, batting .331, was about the only positive in an otherwise unproductive night. He has a nine-game hitting streak and seven hits in his last nine at-bats.

“These things happen,” Guerrero said of his teammates’ offensive drought. “It’s not the first time it’s happened. But there also have been a lot of times when I go up there with guys on (base) and I do (bleep).

“I was just trying to make contact. If you consistently make contact, you’re going to hit, if you keep trying.”

Guerrero’s first-inning home run, his 20th this season, came on a high fastball--one of Drabek’s few mistakes in seven innings.

“After that (home run), I just told myself to bear down,” Drabek said. “I tried to not let it affect me, like I did in the first half of the season when I’d give up three or four runs early and get in a hole.”

The only Dodger whom Drabek was not able to subdue was Guerrero. No matter what type of pitch Drabek threw, Guerrero hit it hard.

“Fortunately, only one (of Guerrero’s hits) went out,” Drabek said. “He’s a good hitter. What can you say?”

Pirate reliver Barry Jones, who worked the final two innings to earn his first save, finally was able to stop Guerrero, who flied out to right field in the eighth.

Hershiser (10-9) was charged with 4 runs on 8 hits through 7 innings. Although he was not sharp and struggled with his control, Hershiser kept the Pirates relatively in check and waited, in vain, for some offensive support.

“I even made more mistakes than I normally do,” Hershiser said. “I got the ball up a lot of times and I fell behind hitters. But I battled. I had quite a few good innings.”

But not as many as Drabek had against Dodger hitters.

Dodger Notes

The Dodgers had to play most of the game without second baseman Steve Sax, who reinjured his right shoulder on a throwing error in the third inning. Sax was examined by a team doctor and was diagnosed as having profound soreness in his right shoulder. Sax was given medication and will be examined again today. . . . Dodger Manager Tom Lasorda issued a no-comment in response to the comments Albuquerque Manager Terry Collins made in The Times Saturday concerning the Dodgers’ handling of young players in the farm system. . . . A Dodger source said the club is trying to accommodate Triple-A catcher Gilberto Reyes’ angry trade request. The source said Reyes has been available since spring training, but no team has shown interest. . . . The Dodgers have renewed their interest in Baltimore Orioles first baseman Eddie Murray. But a trade does not appear forthcoming because of Murray’s age (32) and the fact he recently signed a lucrative five-year contract. The Dodgers, who recently scouted the Orioles and Murray, probably would have to part with a starting pitching and one of their best players, such as Pedro Guerrero or Mike Marshall. Still, a source told one Baltimore newspaper that Fred Claire, the Dodgers’ general manager, is eager to make a “blockbuster” trade. . . . Len Matuszek, recovering from foot surgery in June, has made progress in his recovery, even though an infection slowed it somewhat. Matuszek is scheduled to be examined by Dr. William Wagner Wednesday. He still isn’t expected back until late summer. . . . Pitcher Alejandro Pena strained an abdominal muscle in his left side while warming up in the bullpen Friday night. . . . Today’s Dodger-Pirate game will start an hour later (2:05 p.m.) than usual because of an old-timers’ game that starts at 12:30 p.m. Among the participants are Sandy Koufax, Mike Marshall (the former relief pitcher, not the current right fielder), Richie Allen and Maury Wills.