Dodgers Hurting, Streaking

It was the longest walk Dodger pitcher Ismael Valdes has ever made.

Valdes had to be helped off the diamond after pulling his left hamstring while running to first base in the sixth inning of Saturday’s 7-3 victory over the San Diego Padres before 45,066 at Qualcomm Stadium.

“It was horrible,” Valdes said. “I don’t want to wish anyone this kind of pain. It felt like somebody shot me with a gun. I was scared.”

Valdes, who was trying to beat out a grounder that bounced off Padre starter Andy Ashby (4-5) with two outs in the sixth inning, collapsed after extending his leg as he tried to reach for the bag.

After lying on his back for several minutes, Valdes walked off the field with assistance from first-base coach Reggie Smith and trainer Charlie Strasser. Valdes will be reevaluated today.

“They were expecting something worse,” Valdes said. “There’s nothing I can do. Only God knows why he’s doing this. Every good pitcher goes through these things. I hope next year will be better.”

The Dodgers have won a season-high five consecutive games, but they have lost two key pitchers in the last three weeks. Starter Ramon Martinez went on the disabled list June 23 because of a shoulder injury.

It was a tough break for Valdes (5-9), who pitched his best game of the season, giving up no runs and two hits in five innings.

Valdes had pitched well in his last two starts, a 2-0 victory over the Colorado Rockies on June 25 and a 3-2 loss to the Texas Rangers last Monday.

Suddenly, the Dodgers, whose greatest strength has been their pitching staff, are starting to get a little thin.

Russell said he may promote Darren Dreifort or Mark Guthrie to the rotation if Valdes must miss a start. Guthrie would become the Dodgers’ only left-handed starter and their first since Bob Ojeda in 1992.

“I’d like to start, but it’s up to them,” said Dreifort, who is 3-0 with a 2.35 earned-run average, second on the team. “You never know what’s going to happen with Rocket [Valdes] the next seven days.”

Valdes might get a chance to heal during the upcoming three-day All-Star break.

The Dodgers, who had 12 hits, have had 10 or more hits in their last five games.

“The bottom of the lineup has been doing great job scoring runs,” said catcher Mike Piazza, who went 0 for 5. “Everyone knows what Eric [Karros] and myself and Mondy [Raul Mondesi] can do, and Eric has been just unbelievable the last month and a half.”

That bottom of the lineup helped break open a close game Saturday.

Shortstop Greg Gagne, who had a two-run double in Friday night’s victory, had an eighth-inning, two-out, two-run triple to extend his hitting streak to nine games and give the Dodgers a 4-1 lead. Second baseman Tripp Cromer then squeezed in Gagne.

Cromer went two for two to raise his batting average to .385.

But Cromer will always be better known for his defense than his hitting.

“I’ve had years where I’ve hit,” said Cromer, who had a .217 batting average with five home runs and 18 RBIs in his previous three seasons in the majors. “But once you get tagged as a certain type of player, no matter how bad you hit or how bad you field, you’re always going to be known as a good defensive player and a bad offensive player.”

Karros hit a two-run home run with two outs in the ninth inning off reliever Pete Smith as the Dodgers defeated the Padres for the third time in a row after 10 losses.

Mondesi went three for five to raise his average to .295.