Dodgers Can Laugh About It : Baseball: They’re feeling good after Valdes’ two-hit shutout brings them home only one game behind Rockies.

It’s too early to order the champagne. It’s premature to start spending those playoff shares. But after shutting out the St. Louis Cardinals, 8-0, before a paid 22,644 at Busch Stadium on Sunday, the Dodgers are convinced they’re headed to the playoffs.

They blasted the music in the clubhouse, several danced in front of their lockers, and they celebrated their trip--winning six of nine games--knowing they played their final regular-season game outside Southern California.

The Dodgers, behind Ismael Valdes’ two-hit shutout, pulled to within one game of the first-place Colorado Rockies with 12 remaining. If they were going to falter, they figured, it would happen on the road.

Yet they’re alive, playing the next nine games at Dodger Stadium, including a three-game series Sept. 25-27 against the Rockies.

“The stage is set,” Dodger second baseman Delino DeShields said. “We’ll go home and figure out exactly what we’re doing. When we leave our home stand, basically we’ll know what our plans are for the winter. There’s no pressure; this is fun.”

The Dodgers talked about the brilliant pitching of Valdes (12-11), who ended his four-game losing streak. He didn’t allow a ball hit to left field until the ninth inning. He retired 20 of the last 21 batters, and reached a three-ball count on only two.

They talked about the powerful 3-4 punch of Mike Piazza and Eric Karros, who combined for five hits, three runs, two homers and three runs batted in. For the season, the two close friends have hit 59 homers, driven in 184 runs and are batting a combined .325.

They talked about the rejuvenated DeShields, who reached base three times, and tied a career high with three stolen bases, including two on consecutive pitches in the fourth inning.

Then they talked about the unsung hero, the one who stood out above the rest, and the one who means everything to this team.

There’s a reason the Dodgers (70-62) have become inspired, playing their finest ball of the season.

Just when the Dodgers didn’t think it was possible to hold Tim Wallach in higher reverence, along came the fifth inning.

The Dodgers already had a cozy 6-0 lead, and it was evident the Cardinals weren’t going to muster anything, but then it happened.

John Mabry opened the inning by hitting a sharp grounder toward the hole. Wallach, playing on artificial turf with a torn knee ligament that requires a cumbersome brace, in a day game after a night game, dove for the ball.

His body outstretched, he stopped the ball, picked himself up and threw out Mabry at first base.

“I turned to [first-base umpire Paul] Runge and said, ‘That’s ridiculous,’ “Karros said. “That is simply unbelievable. He’s got the bad knee, we’re playing on artificial turf with a big lead, and he’s doing that. You’ve got to be kidding.

“If anyone needs an inspiration, you don’t have to look any further than Wallach at third base.”

Said DeShields: “It’s no coincidence that we’ve been playing damn good baseball ever since Eli got back. It’s like we feel naked without him over there. He means that much to this team. He’s the man.”

Wallach, hitting .417 with three doubles, two homers and five RBIs since his return six games ago, shrugged off the play.

“It was just instinct, that’s all,” said Wallach, who drove in two runs Sunday. “I didn’t think about it.”

Yet it’s this attitude that has pervaded the clubhouse. It has Valdes saying he’ll pitch out of the bullpen during the playoffs if it’ll help the team.

It has Karros saying he couldn’t care less about his career-high 29 homers and 98 RBIs if the team doesn’t make the playoffs. And it has Piazza willing to cast aside his chance for a batting title if it means a playoff berth.

“You can only look at your statistics so much during the winter,” Karros said. “Our focus is still to win the division. If we fall short, the wild card is something to fall back on. If you don’t get that, you fall back on the couch all winter.”

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Batting Race

A look at how the battle between the Padres’ Tony Gwynn and the Dodgers’ Mike Piazza for the National League batting title is shaping up: *--*

Player AB H AVG Gwynn 487 178 .366

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(Sunday: 1 for 5)

*--*

Player AB H AVG Piazza 397 142 .358

*--*

(Sunday: 2 for 5, 1 HR)