Valdes Brings Dodgers Back Winners, 1-0

It ordinarily would prompt a loud, raucous celebration. The stereo would be cranked. High-fives exchanged. Cheering until their voices became hoarse.

This East Coast swing that traditionally has left the Dodgers begging for mercy ended Sunday with a 1-0 victory over the New York Mets in front of 39,328 at Shea Stadium, completing a trip few dreamed possible.

The Dodgers went 6-3 against the Montreal Expos, Philadelphia Phillies and Mets, and while it may not seem phenomenal to the casual observer, consider this: The only player still on the Dodgers from the last time they won as many as six of nine games on this swing is Ramon Martinez. That was in 1988 when the Dodgers won the World Series.

“This was a big game for me, a big game for the team,” said Dodger starter Ismael Valdes (6-3), who pitched eight shutout innings. “We had to have this game. We couldn’t afford to lose.”

Yet the Dodgers’ victory proved to be more of a relief than elation. When a team opens the trip 5 1/2 games behind the division-leading San Diego Padres, has its greatest success in eight seasons, and still goes home 5 1/2 games behind the Padres, it’s difficult to get carried away.

“This is what we had to do,” Dodger Manager Tom Lasorda said. “We had to do this. If not, we could have been buried. That’s how important it was.”

The Dodgers might have thought the Padres were a fluke at the season’s outset, but considering two months have passed and the Padres continue to play exceptional baseball, winning on the road has now become a necessity.

“I think you’re always thinking about how they’re doing,” Dodger third baseman Mike Blowers said, “and to be honest with you, you should think about it.

“It’s a long ways to go, but we don’t want to get too far behind them. If you fall nine games back, you have to bank on a collapse or major injury. You can’t count on that. You’ve got to keep winning to keep the pressure on.”

Lasorda, whose teams had gone 36-73 on this biannual trip since 1990, handed the ball to Valdes and watched him work.

Valdes kept any baserunners from reaching second after the third inning. Nineteen of Valdes’ 24 outs during his eight-inning stint never left the infield.

“It’s so remarkable to think how gifted he really is,” said Fred Claire, Dodger executive vice president. “This game showed that tremendous ability.”

The trouble was that Met starter Mark Clark dominated the Dodgers, yielding only one hit and two fly balls in the first five innings, but then a simple ground ball caused his downfall.

Clark, who has not given up an earned run in 27 innings against the Dodgers, was betrayed by his defense. Shortstop Juan Castro led off the fifth inning with a ground ball to third baseman Jeff Kent. The ball caromed off his glove into the outfield for an error.

Valdes sacrificed Castro to second, and Castro went to third on Roger Cedeno’s groundout, setting the stage for rookie left fielder Todd Hollandsworth.

Hollandsworth, choking up on the bat, slapped a single up the middle, and the ball got by center fielder Lance Johnson for another error, permitting Castro to score and Hollandsworth to reach second. Catcher Mike Piazza flied out to center for an inning-ending out, but the damage was done.

The Dodgers had a run, and the Mets could never recover.

“It was huge, especially the way scoring opportunities were being dictated,” Hollandsworth said. “The innings were flying by, and you knew not too many runs were going to be scored.”

Valdes kept the Mets in check until the ninth, when Kent led off with a single to right field. Lasorda summoned left-handed Scott Radinsky, and Roberto Petagine sacrificed Kent to second. Lasorda then turned to closer Todd Worrell.

Worrell struck out Chris Jones and pinch-hitter Carl Everett to record his league-leading 16th save.

The offense may be struggling and only the Florida Marlins have scored fewer runs, but the Dodgers have won 12 of their last 18 games and believe they’re on a roll.

“This is the 1960s Dodgers, basically,” Claire said. “And, remember, there was success in the ‘60s.”