Rest Day for Dodger Offense

The San Francisco Giants, if for no other reason, simply got tired of being embarrassed.

They kicked everyone out of the clubhouse for a players-only meeting before the game, criticized themselves for 30 minutes, and vowed they weren’t going to wallow in misery.

The Giants promptly went out and used the Dodgers as a punching bag for all their frustrations Saturday, whipping the Dodgers, 7-0, in front of a sellout crowd of 54,226 at Dodger Stadium.

The Dodgers (49-43) never had a chance. They managed only four singles and reached third base only once.

Giant starter Shawn Estes, making his 1996 debut, completely baffled the Dodgers. He yielded only three hits in seven innings and struck out 11, including six in a row at one point, out-pitching Hideo Nomo (9-8).

“He showed more poise and maturity tonight than we remembered in the past,” Giant Manager Dusty Baker said. “We needed it badly. He wanted it, and we needed it.”

Said Dodger interim Manager Bill Russell: “Estes pitched a great game. Our offense didn’t do anything.”

How ugly did Estes make the Dodgers look?

The Giants pitchers had as many hits (two) as the first six batters in the Dodger lineup (two for 21 with eight strikeouts).

While the Dodgers shrugged their shoulders and chalked it up as one of those nights, the game was a catharsis for the Giants.

This is a team that had lost 17 of its last 19 games with a franchise-record 12-game losing streak on the road.

“Every win right now is big for this team,” said Giant catcher Tom Lampkin, who homered in his first at-bat against Nomo in the second inning. “But Shawn threw a hell of a game. To shut down a team like that, and as potent as that, is one hell of an accomplishment.”

Barry Bonds and Matt Williams, who had done nothing the first two games of the series, reminded the Dodgers that they remain among the most dangerous 3-4 hitters in the game.

Bonds, who had a .077 batting average against Nomo with five strikeouts in 13 at-bats, took out his aggressions with one swing of the bat in the sixth inning. He hit a towering home run over the center-field fence and stood at home plate while admiring all of its glory.

And just in case anyone believed the game still was in doubt, Williams ended all notions in the seventh inning with a two-out homer to left field off Nomo.

Nomo yielded three home runs for only the third time in his major league career, the last occurring May 7, 1995, at Coors Field in Colorado. In fact, the Dodger pitching staff had given up only one homer in its last 79 innings, and only five extra-base hits in the last seven games, before Lampkin began the barrage with his second-inning homer.

“Obviously, I’m not happy because I gave up three homers in one game,” said Nomo, who yielded seven hits and five runs (two earned) while striking out 10. “Any time you give up three homers in one game is not good.”

It was the first time since April 13 that Nomo struck out at least 10 in a game, ending a 15-game stretch in which he struck out nine or fewer. It was the longest drought in his career without a double-digit strikeout game.

Yet, considering the way Estes was pitching, the Dodgers never had a prayer. He looked poised, confident and like a man who should have been pitching for the Giants all season.

“I was nervous before the game,” Estes said, “but when I got out to the game I felt comfortable. “You’re not human if you’re not nervous.”

It was as if the two teams changed uniforms before the game and masqueraded as each other.

The Dodgers, who had played so well of late, winning eight of the last 11 games, suddenly couldn’t hit, couldn’t pitch and couldn’t field. They yielded 13 hits, their most outside Coors Field since June 21 and committed an error that led to three unearned runs in the seventh.

Why, until first baseman Eric Karros’ leadoff single in the ninth inning, the Dodgers had as many wild pitches as hits.

It was that kind of night, and a game the Giants desperately needed.

“Hopefully, this will get us started,” Lampkin said. “This was a big lift for this team. Hopefully, it’s just the beginning.”