Dodgers Lose Final Duel in Pitchers’ Series : Baseball: Candiotti matches Maddux, but McGriff’s ninth-inning single gives the Braves a 1-0 victory and three-game sweep.

The Dodgers left town Thursday night screaming at the Atlanta Braves, cursing themselves and wondering when they’ve had such a miserable time.

They spent an agonizing three days matching the vaunted Braves’ starting rotation pitch for pitch, but were left victims of a three-game sweep, losing 1-0, on yet another ninth-inning, game-winning hit.

This time, Fred McGriff was the hero, hitting a one-out, run-scoring single that sent the paid crowd of 38,497 into hysteria at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium.

Marquis Grissom, who led off the ninth with a single against reliever Rudy Seanez (1-2), was on second when McGriff slapped a single into right field against John Cummings. Raul Mondesi charged the ball and made a perfect one-hop throw to catcher Mike Piazza, but Grissom dived across home plate with his left hand.

“I had the plate blocked, I had the ball, and I was bracing for the possible hit, but he was already behind me,” Piazza said. “He found some kind of weird gear between third base and home.”

This time, Tom Candiotti was the exasperated Dodger starter, pitching eight shutout innings, only to be left with a no-decision.

“I can’t pitch any better than that,” Candiotti said. “This was a critical series for us. We learned it takes more than good starting pitching to win.

“Yeah, we can say our starters matched up with them, but we know we’ve got to get better in other areas if we’re going to beat the best team in the National League.”

Said Piazza: “I’m not going to sugarcoat it. Our offense was pretty bad. It stunk.”

The Dodgers’ offensive numbers say it all: Three games, three runs, .200 average, three doubles, no triples, one homer, seven walks and 32 strikeouts.

Making it more painful, the Dodgers squandered brilliant starting pitching. The rotation yielded a 1.61 ERA, compared to the Braves’ 1.23.

But there was a difference in bullpens.

The Braves’ bullpen went 3-0 with a save and did not yield a hit in five innings. The Dodgers’ bullpen lost all three games, yielding six hits in 2 2/3 innings.

The only glimpse of good news coming out of the series was that Hideo Nomo may receive the starting nod in the All-Star game. Atlanta pitcher Greg Maddux, the tentative starter, said he might bow out of the game.

Maddux, who pitched eight shutout innings Thursday and lowered his league-leading ERA to 1.64, left the game because of a strained right groin muscle. He suffered the injury while running out a ground ball in the third inning.

“Common sense says it’s a good time to take advantage of the time off,” Maddux said. “But we’ll have to wait and see. It’s day to day.”

Said Nomo: “Hopefully, it’s not a serious injury. I’m not even thinking about starting.”

It was another weird night in the coaching box. This time, the Dodgers’ Reggie Smith was in the face of Atlanta first base coach Pat Corrales, nearly starting a fight between innings.

Smith, whom the Braves accused of stealing signs, yelled at Corrales for continuing to yell, “back, back” when Mondesi was on first base.

“Pat Corrales was doing something in my opinion that was unprofessional and bush league,” Smith said. “It’s school-yard stuff.”

Said Corrales: “He’s got his opinion and I got mine. Let him say what he wants to.”

Despite that squabble, this was a series that will be remembered for its starting pitching.

Maddux retired 11 of the first 12 batters he faced and did not allow a runner to second base until the fifth inning. Candiotti retired the first 14 batters he faced and did not allow a runner to second until the fifth inning.

Maddux yielded five singles and struck out six batters without allowing a walk, or even a three-ball count. Candiotti yielded three singles and struck out five batters without a walk.

Maddux retired nine of the last 10 batters he faced before leaving for a pinch-hitter in the eighth. Candiotti retired 10 of the last 12 batters he faced before leaving for a pinch-hitter in the eighth.

Notice a trend?

“It’s like, how much longer are you going to keep going out there at 0-0?” Candiotti said. “I even joked when I first heard the pitching matchup. I said it’s probably good I’m up against him because we’re not going to score any runs, anyway.”

Indeed, yielding an 0.95 ERA in his last nine starts, Candiotti says it’s the finest stretch of pitching in his 10-year career. Yet, he has won only three of those starts.

Manager Tom Lasorda did everything he could. He sat first baseman Eric Karros, hitless in 17 at-bats against Maddux. He benched left fielder Billy Ashley. And he started left-handed hitters Chris Gwynn in left field and Dave Hansen at third, and moved Tim Wallach to first for the first time in two years.

They even had a private meeting with the hitters, but the result was their seventh loss in nine games, dropping the Dodgers to .500 (33-33).

Nothing worked against Maddux, who hasn’t given up a walk in 49 innings.

“It’s absolutely mind-boggling what he’s doing to hitters,” Atlanta pitching coach Leo Mazzone said. “I mean, he gives up a hit, and you ask yourself, ‘Hey, what happened?’ ”

Funny, the Dodgers had the same feeling.

* KEEPING TRACK

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