Dodgers, Shaw Savor Another Close Game

Where in the world would the Dodgers be without Jeff Shaw?

Out of luck.

Out of contention.

Out of options.

The man who was obtained from the Cincinnati Reds early this month to serve as the ninth-inning closer is now working the eighth as well.

They may have to keep Dodger Manager Glenn Hoffman away from the bullpen phone in the sixth and seventh innings to keep Shaw’s talented right arm from falling off.

But what choice does Hoffman have?

Take Sunday at Dodger Stadium, for example. Dodger starter Ismael Valdes was cruising along with a 5-0 lead over the Arizona Diamondbacks heading into the sixth inning of a game the Dodgers would hang on to win, 5-3.

But at the beginning of the sixth, Valdes was forced out because of a muscle strain on his left side below the rib cage that will be examined further today.

Left-handed reliever Mark Guthrie came in, but he struggled. Right-hander Antonio Osuna retired the only batter he faced. Left-hander Scott Radinsky struggled.

Enough of that. With one out in the eighth, Hoffmann cut to the chase and went to his ace. Shaw didn’t allow any further damage and earned his 30th save of the season, his seventh as a Dodger.

The Dodgers won five games on this seven-game homestand and Shaw saved all five.

“I’m glad he was here,” Hoffman said, “I’m glad he wasn’t somewhere else on this homestand.”

Shaw figured he might be somewhere else than on the mound the way Sunday’s game began. In front of a crowd of 37,353, the Dodgers blasted their way to a 1-0 lead on a first-inning homer by Matt Luke to center. That was followed by four more Dodger runs in the third, highlighted by a two-run homer by Eric Karros. The Dodgers also got an RBI single from Raul Mondesi and a double steal with Mondesi bringing the run home from third when catcher Kelly Stinnett’s throw down to second wound up in center.

Then it was up to Valdes, who didn’t seem to be laboring despite the blistering heat that didn’t let up much as the game wore on.

Then, in the sixth inning, while pitching to the leadoff man, pinch-hitter Jorge Fabregas, Valdes felt pain in his side as he threw the first pitch for a strike.

“The second pitch was worse,” Valdes said.

It was also his last. The Dodgers, taking no chances with a 10-game road trip beginning Tuesday, removed Valdes.

“I am worried,” he said. “It is painful. I have never had anything like this before.”

Enter Guthrie, who brought with him a 10 2/3-inning scoreless streak.

Guthrie extended that streak by two innings, but then ran into trouble in the eighth. He gave up a leadoff double to Stinnett, hit Tony Batista and gave up a single to pinch-hitter Andy Stankiewicz. Andy Fox followed with a two-run single.

Back to the bullpen.

Next up was Osuna who got Danny Klassen, the only man he faced, on a fly ball.

Back to the bullpen.

On came Radinsky who gave up an RBI single to pinch-hitter Jay Bell and then hit Devon White to reload the bases.

Time for guess who.

Shaw got pinch-hitter Karim Garcia, the former Dodger, and first baseman Brent Brede to hit grounders back to him, ending the inning.

Shaw got the first two men in the ninth, giving him a total of four men retired on 10 pitches, nine of those strikes.

Stankiewicz got aboard on an error, but then Shaw induced Fox to ground out, making him the 32nd batter he has retired of the 37 he has faced since joining the Dodgers.

Down the road, Dodger General Manager Tommy Lasorda may yet regret giving up two prospects like infielder Paul Konerko and pitcher Dennis Reyes for Shaw.

But right now, without Shaw, this Dodger season would have already run into a dead end.