Dodgers Run Into Trouble Against Reds : Baseball: Two putouts at second base are key to 4-2 loss, eighth in 10 games.

They have a manager who has been told he’ll be fired at the end of the season.

They have a general manager who’s scorned because he was still using Clearasil during the Big Red Machine era.

And, yes, they still have an owner who refuses to acknowledge the manager by his name and has a greater relationship with her St. Bernards than she does with most of her employees.

They are the Cincinnati Reds, the finest team in the National League, and the latest to leave the Dodgers wallowing in frustration.

The Dodgers lost their fifth consecutive game Friday night, 4-2, showing the paid crowd of 31,046 at Riverfront Stadium why they still can’t play with the big boys in the league.

The Reds (42-24) watched in amusement as the Dodgers self-destructed. The Dodgers (33-34) gave up two runs because of two wild pitches and a balk in the fourth inning--courtesy of starter Willie Banks--and then ran themselves out of any chance of winning by getting thrown out at second twice in the last two innings--courtesy of Mike Piazza and Roberto Kelly.

Little wonder why the Reds, behind lame-duck Manager Davey Johnson, are preparing for an all-Ohio World Series with Cleveland. The Dodgers, well, let’s just say their next Freeway Series probably won’t be scheduled until next spring.

“This just magnifies our shortcomings,” first baseman Eric Karros said. “These are the games that separate the first-place teams and teams like us.

“Talent-wise, we can match up man for man with anyone in the league. But the bottom line is execution. That’s why you see teams like the Reds in first place, and why we’re playing the way we are.”

The Dodgers, losers of eight of their last 10 games, have been struggling to muster hits, let alone runs.

Yet despite nine hits--including five in the last two innings--the Dodgers ran themselves out of the ballgame.

“When you get thrown out at second base on balls hit like that, something’s got to be wrong somewhere,” Dodger Manager Tom Lasorda said. “Those looked like cinch doubles when they were hit. In close games, you can’t afford to let that happen.”

The Dodgers, batting .213 with six runs in their last five games, assured themselves of their worst slump entering an All-Star break since 1990 when they lost 11 of 14.

“The Dodgers scare me,” Red General Manager Jim Bowden, 34, said. “You keep waiting for those guys to make a move. They’ve got the great offense and pitching, but it hasn’t happened for them yet.”

The Dodgers managed one run and four hits in the first seven innings off John Smiley (9-1) before rallying in the eighth. Jose Offerman, moved to the leadoff spot, knocked Smiley out of the game with a one-out infield single that scored No. 8 hitter Delino DeShields. Raul Mondesi, batting second for the first time in a year, struck out against reliever Mike Jackson, bringing up Piazza.

Piazza drove Jackson’s pitch into the left-field corner, and as on-deck hitter Eric Karros walked toward the plate, he figured he’d be batting with runners on second and third.

Karros never got a chance to hit.

Piazza, slow getting to second base, never made it. Even though left fielder Ron Gant’s throw went to cutoff man Barry Larkin, he still had enough time to throw out Piazza at second.

The inning and rally were over.

“There’s no excuse for it,” Piazza said. “It was just a bad decision to go.”

The Dodgers had the chance to make up for their transgressions when Tim Wallach reached first on a one-out infield single in the ninth. Kelly followed with a hit into right center, and again the Dodgers appeared they’d have runners on second and third with Billy Ashley up.

Kelly hesitated rounding first, and by the time he reached second, the throw from all-star right fielder Reggie Sanders was waiting. Kelly was out. The game ended when Ashley struck out.

“When you’re going bad, those things will happen,” Kelly said. “And right now they’re going bad.

“Real bad.”