BASEBALL DAILY REPORT : DODGERS : Blame It on the Infield, Not Infielders

The Pittsburgh Pirates, tied for second in the National League in fielding, are in first place in the East Division standings. The Dodgers, last in the league in fielding, are last in the West.

Pirate Manager Jim Leyland would not say the difference between teams is defense, but he does say the Dodgers have a home-field disadvantage.

“This is a gorgeous stadium, the cleanest stadium in the league, and it’s a beautiful place to play, but the truth of the matter is the infield is rough,” Leyland said.

So rough that Leyland said the Dodger infield--the surface, not the fielders--is “the worst in the league, by far.”

Jay Bell, the Pirate shortstop, agreed. “The infield dirt is real hard and it gets real ‘wavey,’ ” Bell said. “There are holes--just a lot of variables that contribute to this just being a bad field.”

But Bell also cited an additional reason for the Dodgers’ league-high 134-error total.

“I think it’s almost become popular for the official scorer here to give errors on questionable plays,” Bell said.

Retorted Wayne Monroe, one of three official scorers employed by the National League at Dodger Stadium, “That’s the most idiotic statement I’ve ever heard.”

Ramon Martinez bid a hasty exit from Dodger Stadium on Tuesday night after giving up five runs--only two earned--in two-plus innings.

“Last night I got too many pitches high,” said Martinez, who has lost three games in a row. “My arm and everything else is OK.”

Since experiencing a stiff back in an Aug. 15 start against the San Francisco Giants, Martinez has given up nine earned runs in 8 2/3 innings.

The Dodgers made four errors on Tuesday, but catcher Mike Scioscia said most of Martinez’s struggles should be attributed to the Pirates. “They hit some tough pitches,” he said. “They give every pitcher in the league trouble.”

For the first time this season, the Dodgers saw a steady diet of knuckleballs during batting practice. Coach Joe Ferguson and former Dodger Ron Roenicke threw knuckleballs in preparation for Pittsburgh’s Tim Wakefield. . . . The National League denied the Pirates’ protest of Monday’s game. Leyland protested a call that credited Jose Lind with a ground-rule double on a ball that hit the left-field fence, then was volleyed into the bleachers by the Dodgers’ Tom Goodwin.