Ojeda’s Struggle Continues in 4-3 Loss to the Giants

On the first anniversary of Orel Hershiser’s reconstructive shoulder surgery, the Dodgers were reminded of a painful truth Saturday night.

They still haven’t found anybody to replace him.

Bob Ojeda, one of two pitchers signed this winter to bolster the Dodgers’ starting rotation, frustrated his new team for the third time in four starts, pitching just well enough to lose in the Dodgers’ 4-3 loss to the San Francisco Giants before 48,846 at Dodger Stadium.

Ojeda, whose three defeats have come after Dodger victories, ended the team’s season-high three-game win streak by allowing three runs on 10 hits in 6 1/3 innings.

Ojeda and Kevin Gross, the Dodgers’ other new starter who will pitch today, have combined for a 1-6 record in seven starts with a 7.52 earned-run average and 50 hits in 32 1/3 innings.

The Dodgers could have won Saturday’s game when they put the tying and winning runs on base with two outs in the ninth inning. But having entered the game with an 0-6 record when trailing after six innings, they aren’t used to success in those situations.

The comeback fell short again when Juan Samuel, the team’s top hitter, fouled out to diving first baseman Will Clark on a checked swing to end the game.

Earlier in the inning, with runners on first and second and none out, Alfredo Griffin failed to lay down a sacrifice bunt, forcing Lenny Harris at third base.

With runners on first and second and none out in the fifth inning and the Dodgers trailing, 2-1, Samuel also botched a sacrifice attempt, popping into a double play.

“The fundamentals of this game are very, very important,” Manager Tom Lasorda said.

The Dodgers also committed three errors, giving them 24 in 18 games. One error was particularly costly, third baseman Harris throwing wildly to first base in the ninth inning on a grounder by Mike Felder. The throw allowed Mike Kingery to score from second base to give the Giants a 4-2 lead.

Ojeda did not stick around to speak with reporters. Lyons, a former teammate with the New York Mets, offered a guess about his thoughts.

“I just know that Bobby really wants to make a good impression here, and this spring he really did that (with a 4-0 record),” Lyons said. “Now . . . I just think it will do a lot of people good to get out on the road next week and get everything together where we don’t feel the pressure and excitement of playing for a new team.”

Ojeda, 1-3 with a 5.32 ERA, suffered a simple problem Saturday. When he needed to make a big pitch, he didn’t.

The best example occurred in the fifth inning, with the Dodgers leading, 1-0.

Robby Thompson lined a one-out single. Up stepped Willie McGee, who had nine home runs since 1987. Now he has 10 after lofting Ojeda’s first pitch into the left-field seats to give the Giants a 2-1 lead.

Ojeda found trouble again in the seventh when he allowed a leadoff single to Thompson, whose four hits helped his .186 batting average.

After a sacrifice bunt, Clark lined a pitch into right field to score Thompson and make it 3-1.

The Dodgers had scored in the first inning after Darryl Strawberry hustled to second base on a two-out blooper that dropped in shallow left field. Eddie Murray then hit a sharp grounder to Giant starter Kelly Downs, who knocked it down but threw wildly to first base, Strawberry scoring.

The Dodgers also scored once in the seventh inning, even though the rally involved only one hit. Mike Scioscia led off with a walk. One out later Chris Gwynn hit a pinch single to center, his third hit in six pinch at-bats this year.

Moments later, after Dave Righetti replaced Downs, Gwynn broke up a double play to allow Scioscia to score and make it 3-2.