BASEBALL / DAILY REPORT : DODGERS : Nomo Will Go Against Padres Today

The Dodgers, determining it’s foolish to look ahead to the series against the Colorado Rockies, have decided that Hideo Nomo will pitch today against the San Diego Padres. Tom Candiotti, who was tentatively scheduled to pitch on two days’ rest, is scheduled for Tuesday against Colorado.

“Every day is important,” pitching coach Dave Wallace said. “We can’t worry about tomorrow when we have to win today.”

The way the Dodgers figure it, they have a better chance of winning today with Nomo because the Padres have never faced him. Candiotti is 0-2 with a 6.00 ERA in two starts against the Padres, yielding 17 hits in nine innings. Candiotti yielded four hits and two unearned runs in his last start, June 30, against the Rockies.

“I told them whatever they want to do is fine by me,” Candiotti said. “You don’t owe me any explanations.”

San Diego’s Tony Gwynn said, “I just want to face the guy to see what he’s all about. You hear people say he’s not the same as early in the year, but how do we know? We’ve never seen him.

“Maybe this way the Japanese reporters will quit following me into the bathroom.”

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Third baseman Tim Wallach said he was touched by the crowd’s rousing ovation Friday night when he got his 2,000th hit.

“That was very nice,” he said. “I didn’t expect that much, but it was good.”

Wallach said he’ll appreciate and treasure the moment when he retires, but not now.

“Numbers are not something I dwell on a whole lot,” he said. “Maybe when I’m done playing it will be more important to me.”