Dodgers’ Valdes Pitches Fit in 5th

Pitcher Ismael Valdes didn’t want to go.

Manager Bill Russell shoved Valdes out of the dugout and up the tunnel that leads to the clubhouse when Valdes showed his anger after Russell pinch-hit for him with two out in the fifth inning of Thursday night’s 5-4 loss to the San Francisco Giants before 30,481 at Dodger Stadium.

“It was time for him to go,” Russell said. “No pitcher wants to come out. I wouldn’t want it any other way. He’s a competitor and he wanted to stay in.

“He was done for the night. There was no use of him staying in the dugout. . . . I didn’t think he was showing me up. It was time for him to go to the clubhouse.”

Valdes threw his batting helmet and glove to the ground after Russell lifted him for pinch-hitter Roger Cedeno.

“It was frustration,” Valdes said. “I haven’t pitched the way I normally pitch.

“I wasn’t surprised [that Russell shoved him]. He was upset because I’m not pitching the way I’m supposed to pitch. He’s right, he’s the manager.”

Valdes (3-7) had every right to be frustrated after he gave up five runs (four earned) on seven hits with two walks, including a two-out second-inning walk to starter William Van Landingham that loaded the bases.

Valdes missed on a 3-and-2 pitch to Van Landingham, and Darryl Hamilton then drove in two runs with a pop fly single on a two-strike pitch. Jose Vizcaino singled in Van Landingham with ground ball that went under the glove of Dodger second baseman Chad Fonville.

Greg Gagne, who hit a two-run home run in the fifth inning, nearly had his second home run with one out in the ninth and a runner on first base, hitting a fly to deep center.

But Giant center fielder Darryl Hamilton caught it five feet from the fence to help preserve the one-run win.

“When the ball is hit really high like that, all you do is watch the outfielder,” Russell said. “We were hoping, but it was just a little short.”

Dodger catcher Mike Piazza, who has played in the last four all-star games, is the leading vote-getter in the National League for the 1997 All-Star game.

But he didn’t play like an all-star.

Piazza made two throwing errors that led to a run and hit into a double play with runners on first and second and the Dodgers behind by two runs in the sixth inning.

Piazza’s two errors helped the Giants take a 5-0 lead.

The first came when Raul Mondesi’s throw got away from Piazza when Barry Bonds singled in Stan Javier with one one in the fifth inning.

Piazza then threw the ball away when Bonds stole third base, and he came on home for the Giants’ 5-0 lead.

But Piazza knocked in a run when he grounded out with one out in the eighth to drive in Nelson Liriano, who had led off the inning with a pinch-hit double to right-center field. Liriano moved to second on Brett Butler’s walk and to third when Mondesi, who leads the team in homers and RBIs, sacrificed.

It was only the second sacrifice bunt of Mondesi’s career.

Liriano’s run cut the deficit to 5-4, and the Dodgers had a chance to tie it, but reliever Doug Henry struck out Eric Karros to end the eighth inning.