Dodgers Fail to Gain as Valenzuela Falters : Baseball: Left-hander is chased in fourth inning and Astros win, 7-3. L.A. remains 6 1/2 games behind leader Cincinnati in the NL West.

Returning to Dodger Stadium and Western Division play, the Dodgers lost an uninspired game to Houston, 7-3, before 42,856 at Dodger Stadium.

At least this game was over early--around the fourth inning, when the Astros’ no-name offense knocked out Fernando Valenzuela (12-11) and took a 6-1 lead.

The recipient of the quick lead was Bill Gullickson, who pitched into the seventh inning to improve to 9-12. Dave Smith quelled a Dodger rally in the eighth and finished for his 21st save.

While Gullickson and the Astro bullpen were keeping the Dodgers’ big hitters in check--Hubie Brooks had the only run batted in among the lineup’s first five batters--the Astros got 13 hits, with Casey Candaele going four for five with two RBIs and Dave Rohde getting two hits and two RBIs.

The Dodgers, who had eight hits and made two errors and several costly mistakes, came alive briefly with single runs in the seventh and eighth innings but left five runners stranded, to a chorus of boos.

The Dodgers, who play the rest of their games within the Western Division, went into Monday’s game knowing the first-place Reds had lost, but they played follow the leader.

The loss--the Dodgers’ third in four games--left them 6 1/2 games behind the Reds.

“We’re not at the point of scoreboard watching,” said catcher Mike Scioscia, who hit a second-inning home run.

“If we keep the pressure on, there’s no doubt in my mind we’ll catch the Reds. The key is to bounce back.”

Valenzuela had won five of his last six decisions at Dodger Stadium and had an earned-run average of less than 3.00 at home this year. But he was in trouble early, victimized by shoddy play--some of it his own--and some timely Houston hitting.

The Astros scored two runs in the second inning without a hit. Ken Caminiti and Franklin Stubbs walked and moved into scoring position on a groundout. Pitching to Gullickson, Valenzuela threw a wild pitch that made Gullickson jump, the ball skipping away as both runners scored.

The Dodgers contended the ball hit Gullickson. Umpire Doug Harvey checked the ball for shoe polish or a scuff, but to no avail. Score one--or in this case two--for white shoes.

“That ball bounced so high, it had to hit something,” said Valenzuela, who also acknowledged that “I tried to pitch too fine to the pitcher.”

The Dodgers cut the lead in half in the bottom of the second when Scioscia lined his 12th home run barely inside the right-field foul pole. That proved to be one of the Dodgers’ few highlights on the night.

Valenzuela worked out of trouble in the third, but came undone in the fourth, giving up five hits, none hit very hard, and four runs before coming out.

“They hit the ball in the right spot. That’s part of the game,” Valenzuela said.

Valenzuela, who was 4-2 in August, has pitched only 8 1/3 innings in his last two starts. His 3 1/3 innings Monday night were a season low.

“I didn’t throw any better in Philadelphia (last week) than I did tonight,” he said.

Darren Holmes, the newest addition to the Dodger bullpen, put down the rally but gave up the Astros’ seventh run in the fifth as four of the first five batters reached base. A failed squeeze play ran the Astros out of another potentially big inning.

While Glenn Davis, the Astros’ only bona fide slugger, was kept silent Monday, the Astros’ lesser-known players showed the Dodgers how to apply pressure.

“That Casey Candaele, I thought his name was Paul Waner,” Lasorda said. “It’s tough playing a team like the Astros because they’re relaxed and not going anywhere. If we get behind like that, it’s tough to catch up.”

Dodger Notes

Pitcher Tim Belcher was examined by Dr. Frank Jobe Monday and continues to have enough discomfort in his right shoulder to prompt further testing today.

The Dodgers’ 1-2 record in Montreal during the weekend was the first series they have lost since the All-Star break. They have won 10 series and split four. . . . When Jim Neidlinger was removed in the fifth inning Sunday in Montreal, it marked only the second time since Aug. 14 that a Dodger starter has failed to go at least five innings.

Houston’s roster will increase today when first baseman Mike Simms, outfielder Eric Anthony and pitcher Jim Clancy come up from triple-A Tucson, which finished its season Monday. During the weekend the Astros called up infielder Luis Gonzalez and a shortstop with a big league name, Andujar Cedeno.