Reyes to End All-Right Streak

The Dodgers own the major league record for the most consecutive games started by right-handers.

But that streak will end Sunday at 681 games.

With Ismael Valdes on the disabled list because of a strained left hamstring, the Dodgers have called up southpaw Dennis Reyes from triple-A Albuquerque to make the start.

Reyes had a 3-1 record and a 3.68 earned-run average at Albuquerque. He started the season at double-A San Antonio, where he was 8-1 with a 3.02 ERA in 80 innings.

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Add Lefty Drought: The last left-hander to start on the mound for the Dodgers was Bob Ojeda, who faced the Cincinnati Reds on Sept. 24, 1992.

Since then, the Dodgers have started Kevin Gross, Tom Candiotti, Orel Hershiser, Kip Gross, Pedro Martinez, Ramon Martinez, Pedro Astacio, Hideo Nomo, Valdes and Chan Ho Park.

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Last Add, Lefty Drought: The previous record for most games without a left-handed starting pitcher was 453.

The Dodgers also held that mark, set in the years 1902-1906.

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Giant Switch: San Francisco also had an announcement regarding its starter for Sunday’s series finale.

After first announcing that William VanLandingham would pitch, the Giants have now decided on their ace, Shawn Estes (12-2, 2.51 ERA).

Starting Estes in a showdown series such as this would appear to be a no-brainer, but the Giants had originally left him out because he was appearing in Tuesday’s All-Star game. When Estes pitched only one inning Tuesday, he became available for Sunday.

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Dodger second baseman Tripp Cromer called his parents in South Carolina on Friday morning to tell them about the home run he hit into the right-field stands Thursday night.

He need not have bothered.

They were awakened at around 1:30 a.m. by a friend who had seen the blast on television.

When Cromer homers, it’s news. Thursday’s blast was his first since June of 1995 and only the sixth of a major league career that includes only one full year, the 1995 season, which he spent with the St. Louis Cardinals.

“They are laughing about it back home,” Cromer said.

Dodger Manager Bill Russell told reporters: “I was as surprised about it as you guys were.”

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

TONIGHT’S GAME

DODGERS’ TOM CANDIOTTI (5-2, 2.80 ERA) vs. GIANTS’ MARK GARDNER (9-4, 3.73 ERA)

Dodger Stadium, 7

TV--Fox Sports West 2. Radio--KABC (790), KWKW (1330).

Update: Some teams might have been tempted to drop a 12-year veteran like Candiotti when they found there was no longer any use for him. The Dodgers can be thankful that no such temptation overcame Executive Vice President Fred Claire. He hung on to Candiotti in case of an emergency, and the emergency is here. With Ramon Martinez and Ismael Valdes on the disabled list, Candiotti has supplied valuable relief in a starting role. His first start after Martinez went down was against the Giants, Candiotti going seven innings in an 11-0 victory. Over the length of his career, however, Candiotti has not been so successful against San Francisco, his record being 3-9. Gardner, second only to Shawn Estes among Giant pitchers with nine victories, has been successful on the road, winning four of his six decisions. The Giants have won 11 of Gardner’s last 16 starts.