New High in Lows in a Dodger Defeat

There were no fights. No team meetings. No loud arguments in the showers.

Otherwise, it was just another typical day in the wacky, ridiculous, comical world of the Dodgers.

Just when the Dodgers didn’t believe their plight could get worse, they surprised even themselves Sunday night, losing, 4-3, to the Florida Marlins in embarrassing fashion.

The Dodgers opened the game without a first-base coach, had a third baseman forget how many runners were on base, had a pinch-hitter forget to touch second base, had a second baseman who couldn’t field a routine grounder and had a Gold Glove right fielder make one of the worst throws of his life.

“You get to the point where you think it can’t get any worse,” said catcher Mike Piazza, whose eighth-inning home run tied the score, “and obviously it did.

“I mean, getting beat is one thing, but making the mistakes we’re making. . . .”

The Dodgers [11-10], were tied, 3-3, in the ninth, but after a blunder by second baseman Nelson Liriano allowed Cliff Floyd to reach second, Edgar Renteria hit a one-out single to right field. Mondesi’ throw was wild to the plate, allowing Floyd to score and complete the three-game sweep.

The Dodgers, in the middle of a free-fall, headed to Atlanta. They have lost six of their last seven games.

“I can’t believe it really,” said third baseman Todd Zeile, who committed what he called the worst mental blunder of his career in the first inning. “This whole thing is just hard to believe. This month is hard to believe.”

The Dodgers, coming off an intense 35-minute team meeting and a shoving match between first baseman Eric Karros and pitcher Ismael Valdes on Saturday, took the field with more emotion than they have shown in weeks.

Yet it took only two pitches for the Dodgers to realize it was going to be another long night.

Marlin starter Pat Rapp threw the first two pitches of the game when it dawned on the Dodgers that they had no first-base coach. Reggie Smith, the usual coach, was in the bathroom, Manager Bill Russell said. Mike Sciosica, the bench coach, came running onto the field and took the position.

In the bottom of the first inning, when the Marlins had runners on second and third with two outs, Moises Alou hit a routine one-hopper to Zeile. Karros waited for the ball at first.

It never came.

Zeile, who thought the bases were loaded, stepped on the bag, but there was no force-out. Luis Castillo scored and the crowd of 25,566 at Robbie Stadium laughed and cheered.

“I felt like a complete idiot,” Zeile said. “That’s a bonehead [play]. I’m not going to say I never made a mental mistake, but not one that costly.

“That’s something a big-league player should never do, especially not an eight-year veteran.”

Zeile, who is hitting .137, took off his cap, scratched his head in disbelief and looked to the heavens for help.

The Dodgers, who got a home run from Mondesi in the second to tie the game, 1-1, and even ended their zero-for-21 skein with runners in scoring position in the fifth, then went back to their comical ways. Wilton Guerrero, on a hit-and-run in the seventh inning, ran past second base on a pop-up from Greg Gagne, but when he retreated, forgot to re-touch second base and was called out.

Liriano took over in the ninth, and Floyd hit a routine one-out bouncer that kicked off his glove into right field. Liriano was slow to the ball, and Floyd took second. Reliever Darren Hall walked Luis Castillo, and on a 2-2 pitch, Renteria hit a grounder past Liriano.

Mondesi quickly fielded the ball. Floyd, who had broken back to second, had just reached third base when Mondesi threw wildly, away from the plate.

“There’s nothing let for say,” Russell said. “Every day we keep talking about the same thing, but it’s always the same scenario, the same outcome--another loss.”

Angels Earn Victory in 9th: Jim Edmonds drove in Luis Alicea in the bottom of the ninth to lift the Angels over Detroit, 6-5. C3

IN DEFENSE: Terry Collins says Garret Anderson doesn’t deserve harsh treatment he’s getting from fans. C5