Dodgers’ Problems Still Deep

When the Dodgers eventually win their first game, many things will be forgotten.

But for now, the problems and mistakes are making the beginning of the season miserable for the Dodgers, who lost their third consecutive game, 6-3, Friday night to the Cincinnati Reds before 16,027 at Cinergy Field.

“When you start out like we’ve started out, it begins to build up,” second baseman Eric Young said. “It’s real early, and everyone knows that, but we have to get that first win under our belts. You don’t want to think about it, but you do.”

The Dodgers, even with Hideo Nomo striking out seven Reds in a row, had many things to consider after another poor performance.

As in their two losses to the St. Louis Cardinals in their opening series, a Dodger pitcher gave up a game-turning home run. Reggie Sanders’ three-run homer against Darren Hall (0-1), in the Reds’ four-run seventh inning, deflated the Dodgers.

Mark McGwire hit two homers in as many games against the Dodgers that had a similar effect.

“We’ve been in a bad stretch because they’ve come at critical times in the games,” pitching coach Glenn Gregson said. “We’re pitching ourselves into those spots because we’re falling behind, and that’s the problem.”

But only one among a growing list.

On Friday, the Dodgers also hurt themselves with bad baserunning. After he tripled to open the third, Todd Hollandsworth was thrown out at the plate while trying to score on a ball hit by Jose Vizcaino, which was fielded by Red starter David Weathers in front of the mound.

“It was a bonehead play,” said Hollandsworth, who also doubled in three at-bats and scored two runs.

“I know what I have to do in that situation, I just made a bad play. I feel bad about it, because I probably cost the team a run.”

He had company. In the fifth, pinch-hitter Wilton Guerrero struck out but was safe at first on a wild pitch by Weathers, who set a personal best with nine strikeouts in seven innings. But Guerrero tried to take second, and was thrown out by catcher Eddie Taubensee.

“Hollandsworth knows the ball is supposed to get by the pitcher before he takes off in that situation, and what Guerrero did . . . you just can’t have those types of mistakes,” Manager Bill Russell said. “When you’re winning games, nobody remembers them. But when you’re not winning games, especially now, they’re big.”

The Dodgers, 0-3 for the first time since 1987, took a 3-2 lead in the top of the seventh on Young’s run-scoring infield single. But for the second game, the Dodger bullpen failed to hold a lead.

Hall, who was charged with four earned runs in 1 2/3 innings, fell behind in the count to Sanders, 2-and-0. He then threw a high slider--and the line drive barely cleared the left-field wall.

“I don’t have good enough stuff to fall behind guys and pitch up in the strike zone,” Hall said. “I just feel like I let everyone down.”

The game began well for the Dodgers and Nomo, who was making his first start. Nomo, who underwent arthroscopic surgery on his throwing elbow in the off-season, struggled during much of spring training, but he appeared to make strides against the Reds.

He gave up only one hit in four innings, Bret Boone’s two-run double in the fourth, and he struck out nine, including seven in a row at one point. Johnny Podres set the Dodger record with eight consecutive strikeouts in 1962 against the Philadelphia Phillies, and Tom Seaver holds the National League record with 10.

“I got into a rhythm,” Nomo said through an interpreter. “I want to keep that feeling that I had tonight going.”

But Nomo, who walked five, was out of gas after throwing 87 pitches in four innings. Russell was hoping for more from Nomo after he used seven pitchers Thursday in the Cardinals’ 8-5, 12-inning victory. And the Dodgers have not had a starter pitch more than 4 2/3 innings in the first three games.

“We had a lot of good points tonight, and a few bad points that really hurt us,” catcher Mike Piazza said. “We just have to ride this out as a club, and get over it.”

And for the Dodgers, the sooner the better.