Angels’ Valdes Has Clean Slate

So enthralled were the Dodgers with Ismael Valdes that they gave up on him . . . twice . . . within a year.

Questions were raised about the right-hander’s courage and heart to the point where he was once involved in a clubhouse altercation with Eric Karros.

Friday night, a more menacing Valdes made the Dodgers wish for past days by sticking it down their throats.

Valdes, who signed a one-year, $2.5-million free agent contract with the Angels on Jan. 4, threw 6 2/3 scoreless innings against his former team as the Angels beat the Dodgers, 1-0, in an interleague game that lasted 3 hours 16 minutes at Dodger Stadium. Garret Anderson supplied the night’s offense with a home run in the Angels’ first shutout of the season.

In front of a crowd of 37,449, some of whom gave Valdes (4-3) a standing ovation upon his exit, he gave up four hits while striking out three and walking one. He threw 114 pitches, one off his season high, and hit a batter while singling in his first at-bat and stealing a base.

“Today was a special night and everything worked for us,” said Valdes, who was traded by the Dodgers to the Cubs on Dec. 12, 1999 before being reacquired last July 26. After going 0-3 in his second Dodger tour of duty, Valdes was granted free agency on Oct. 30.

“The way I finished last year, full of injuries, I wasn’t surprised [by the Dodgers’ move]. But that’s in the past. There are no hard feelings. [The Dodgers are] a great organization with great fans. I don’t have to prove anything. I’m just happy to be healthy.”

Valdes, who threw a complete game six-hitter at the Kansas City Royals in his last start on June 1, improved his career record at Dodger Stadium to 35-25 while lowering his Chavez Ravine earned-run average to 2.65.

“That was vintage Valdes,” Angel Manager Mike Scioscia said. “He got out of jams. You give that lineup five outs an inning, you don’t expect to get out of it like that. He pitched his heart out, he gave everything he had. When he’s on, he can play anywhere. He kept his emotions in check.”

Angel closer Troy Percival pitched a perfect ninth inning to earn his 15th save.

Dodger starter Giovanni Carrara, making his first start since Aug. 26, 1997, took the loss despite a strong effort.

Carrara (0-1) gave up one run on four hits in five innings. Carrara, who threw 77 pitches, 49 strikes, struck out three and did not walk a batter.

The Angels, who left eight runners on base, seem to enjoy interleague play as they went an American League-best 12-6 in the AL-NL games last season.

Anderson gave the Angels their 1-0 lead in the second inning.

The left-handed hitting Anderson led off with a towering and slicing home run over the left-center field wall, his eighth homer of the year.

The Dodgers, who stranded seven runners, threatened against Valdes in the fifth.

With one out, Valdes hit Adrian Beltre with a pitch in his left triceps, Beltre taking an angry step toward his former teammate before taking first base.

Beltre then stole second, his second steal of the year, before Alex Cora singled sharply to right.

Angel right fielder Tim Salmon’s throw home was cut off by Valdes in front of the plate as Cora inexplicably took off for second. As Valdes threw to second, Beltre, already at a complete stop, attempted to score. But Adam Kennedy’s throw to the plate beat a hook-sliding Beltre, tagged out by Angel catcher Jorge Fabregas.

Valdes’ defense broke down behind him in the sixth inning, seemingly setting up a big Dodger inning after Paul Lo Duca and Mark Grudzielanek reached base on consecutive errors by shortstop David Eckstein.

But Valdes got Gary Sheffield, activated from the disabled list before the game and batting .462 with three career home runs against him, to pop up to shallow left before Shawn Green popped up to second. Marquis Grissom then hit into a fielder’s choice to end the inning.

“We had some good chances but we also made a couple of mistakes,” Green said. “We couldn’t get the big hit when we needed it. Valdes did seem pretty fired up tonight.”

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INTERLEAGUE RECORDS

A look at some key numbers since interleague play began in 1997:

National vs. American

1997 NL, 117-98

1998 AL, 114-110

1999 NL, 135-116

2000 AL, 136-115

2001 AL, 11-3

Overall NL, 480-475

Dodgers vs. Angels

1997 Dodgers, 4-0

1998 Angels, 3-1

1999 Dodgers, 4-2

2000 Angels, 4-2

2001 Angels, 1-0

Overall Dodgers, 11-10

In Interleague

Dodgers vs. AL 31-29

Angels vs. NL 33-36