Park Out of Control in Loss to Cubs

The first problem was his sore lower back, which Chan Ho Park said made him feel “like an old man.”

His second barrier seemed to be psychological, because his back pain stopped. So what’s derailing the Dodgers’ No. 2 starter now?

Park and his coaches still aren’t sure--but his problems continued Tuesday night in the Cubs’ 6-3 victory before 30,607 at Wrigley Field.

The right-hander again struggled with his control, and he was hit hard by the Cubs, who have won three in a row and seven of eight.

Park lasted only 4 1/3 innings--his third shortest outing of the season--as the Cubs scored three runs in the fifth to take command against the Dodgers, who lost for the first time in three games since Friday’s historic Mike Piazza trade.

Cub starter Steve Trachsel (5-1) pitched seven strong innings, and closer Rod Beck earned his National League-leading 14th save by striking out the side in the ninth.

Park (4-2) is feeling older by the minute, and his back has nothing to do with it.

“My back gave me problems before, but that hasn’t happened [in a while],” said Park, whose earned-run average increased to 5.33.

“I wasn’t worried about my back, but I just lost my control. I just didn’t feel good.”

After watching Park, Manager Bill Russell also wasn’t feeling so well.

“He was behind hitters from the first inning on, and you just can’t pitch that way and be effective against major league hitters,” Russell said. “He warms up well, but then he comes into games and he’s up in the [strike] zone all the time.

“He’s not hurt, he was just wild tonight.”

That much is agreed upon by all.

“He never had command from the very beginning,” pitching coach Glenn Gregson said of Park, who threw only 50 strikes in 94 pitches.

“He never established anything. He’s just been very inconsistent.”

Park pitched seven innings last Wednesday to defeat the Philadelphia Phillies, 9-4, at Dodger Stadium. That outing was among his best of the season, because he blocked out his concern about reinjuring his back, and he pitched with the command that helped him go 14-8 with a 3.38 ERA last season.

But Park said those positive thoughts weren’t present Tuesday, which was easy to see. He walked three, gave up eight hits and was charged with six earned runs.

He failed to pitch at least five innings for the fifth time in 10 starts. His only shorter outings were three innings against the Houston Astros on April 12 and four against the Milwaukee Brewers on April 22.

“I felt bad for some reason in the bullpen [before the game], and it’s hard for me to pitch like that,” he said.

“I don’t really know what it was, but I didn’t feel right.”

The Dodgers staked Park to a 3-1 lead with a two-run fourth inning.

Raul Mondesi led off the inning against Cub starter Steve Trachsel with his ninth home run. Eric Karros singled, advanced to third on Todd Hollandsworth’s single, and scored on a wild pitch.

Karros provided the Dodgers’ first run with a leadoff homer in the second--his first of the season in a span of 73 at-bats.

Last season, such support would often be enough for Park. But not now.

The Cubs tied the score, 3-3, in the bottom of the inning. After a leadoff walk by Henry Rodriguez, Tyler Houston hit a 1-and-1 pitch from Park over the right-field wall for his second homer.

Mark Grace’s two-run double in the fifth gave the Cubs the lead for good. Park was chased with one out in the inning after walking Jeff Blauser.

Meanwhile, Trachsel was cruising.

Trachsel gave up eight hits and three runs. He struck out six without a walk while throwing 65 strikes in 105 pitches.

Terry Adams pitched a scoreless eighth, and Beck closed the door. After Karros struck out on a check swing, Hollandsworth hit an infield single to short.

But Charles Johnson struck out swinging for the third time, and pinch-hitter Jim Eisenreich struck out swinging on a full count as Beck converted his 14th save in 15 chances.

“The Cubs have been playing well, so you have to give them credit,” Russell said.

“But we need more out of Chan Ho.”

And Chan Ho knows.