Piazza Learns in Losing Process : Dodgers: He shows promise at bat in 7-5 loss to the Braves but realizes there are still lessons behind the plate.

The greening of Mike Piazza continued Tuesday, when the young catcher learned what it is like to hit a 400-foot fly ball and then grit your teeth.

In the sixth inning of the Dodgers’ 7-5 loss to the Atlanta Braves, with Piazza squatting behind the plate, Terry Pendleton walked up with some advice.

“You look real good, just keep swinging,” said Pendleton, whose earlier two-run homer had given the Braves the lead.

Three innings later, with two out and the tying runs on base against all-time save leader Jeff Reardon, Piazza took that advice.

He swung from his heels on Reardon’s first pitch, a curveball. The ball carried over the head of center fielder Otis Nixon.

Nixon turned, ran to the warning track and stuck up his glove. One step from the wall, he made the catch.

Piazza slowed down halfway between first and second base, hanging his head and clenching his fists.

“I thought it was gone because I hung one to him,” Reardon said.

Piazza said he didn’t know what to think.

“I was hoping the ball would get off the wall. . . . Hey, what are you going to do?” he said. “I’ll just keep swinging.”

And learning, as evidenced by two earlier plays Tuesday that proved costly as the Dodgers ended this season series with their worst record at Atlanta in Los Angeles history--1-8.

Jeff Blauser stole third base against Piazza in the first inning, leading to the Braves’ first run on a sacrifice fly by Lonnie Smith.

Then Smith stole second base in the fourth--his second steal this season, both against the Dodgers--which led to another run. He scored on Brian Hunter’s ensuing single.

“My first throw, I’ve got to learn to get the ball on the glove side of the fielder,” Piazza said. “My second throw, I rushed it, threw it right into the ground.”

Piazza, a former first baseman whose defense is the most questioned part of his game, has thrown out one of four runners who attempted to steal against him.

At the plate, he is playing better than expected with hits in his first four major league at-bats. He is still batting .294 after 17 at-bats.

And most important, he says, he is getting a chance to grow up.

“I didn’t expect to fly through this league. I knew I would take my lumps,” Piazza said. “Everything at this level is so much more consistent. There is talent in the minor leagues, but it is not nearly as consistent.

“Here, you are facing the best hitters and pitchers every night. I’m still getting used to that.”

And the Dodgers are getting used to him--quickly.

“He showed me a lot back there today,” said Bob Ojeda, who lasted 2 2/3 innings Tuesday, giving up four runs, four hits and four walks.

Like Tom Candiotti, who fed Piazza knuckleballs Sunday, Ojeda was impressed with Piazza’s coolness and willingness to learn.

“Certainly, knowing how to call a game is going to take a while,” Ojeda said. “But . . . if you have a staff of veteran pitchers, that can work itself out.”

Piazza’s fly ball nearly prevented the Dodgers from suffering their 34th loss that involved a blown lead. The long hit, which followed singles by Brett Butler and Mike Sharperson, also nearly took reliever Tim Crews off the hook after Crews gave up three runs in two innings.

The loss also overshadowed what should have been the play of the game and week: Butler stole home against Charlie Leibrandt in the second inning, capping a three-run inning.

It was the first steal of home in Butler’s 12-year career.

Butler walked off third as Leibrandt went into his windup, dashed home with the pitch, then slid around catcher Greg Olson when the ball was thrown outside and low to left-handed hitting Darryl Strawberry.

“But the team loses,” Butler said. “So big deal.”