Dodgers Let Win Escape Them

Just when it appears things can’t get worse for the Dodgers, they discover new ways to disappoint.

The Cincinnati Reds provided the latest pain, rallying from a two-run deficit in the ninth inning against closer Jeff Shaw in a 5-3 victory in 10 innings at Dodger Stadium on Monday night.

The Reds forced extra innings on pinch-hitter Eddie Taubensee’s ninth-inning, two-out, two-run double against Shaw.

Taubensee’s hit tied the score at 3-3.

Cincinnati also scored twice in the 10th against Shaw (2-3) on a one-out sacrifice fly by Barry Larkin, and a run-scoring single by Aaron Boone.

Dmitri Young led off the 10th with a double and scored the go-ahead run on Larkin’s fly ball. The Dodgers (44-55) committed two errors in the inning, and Shaw gave up five hits and four runs in two innings.

Reliever Stan Belinda (2-1) worked two innings to earn the victory for the surprising Reds.

Cincinnati (56-41) is in second place in the National League Central division.

The Dodgers had an opportunity to prevent extra innings in their half of the ninth. Jose Vizcaino, who scored two runs, grounded out with two out and runners at the corners before what remained of a crowd of 28,477.

Dodger starter Ismael Valdes pitched seven strong innings and left with a 2-1 lead. In the eighth, Gary Sheffield drove in his second run of the game to increase the lead to 3-1.

Relievers Pedro Borbon and Alan Mills preserved the Dodger advantage while working a scoreless eighth.

Enter Shaw.

Beginning play Monday, Shaw had suffered only one blown save in 22 opportunities this season. He had the top save percentage in the NL at .995.

Shaw was perfect in his last 13 chances. Moreover, Shaw had recorded saves in 31 of his previous 32 chances since Sept. 1 of last season.

The Reds obviously weren’t impressed with Shaw’s recent history.

However, things began well for Shaw in the ninth. Larkin grounded out to start the inning, and it appeared Shaw was on his way to his second save in as many nights.

Ah, not so fast.

Shaw hit Boone with a one-out pitch to put the first runner on base. With two out, pinch-hitter Michael Tucker hit a slow roller along the third-base line for an infield single. All of a sudden, the Reds had runners at the corners with Taubensee at the plate.

Taubensee came through, hitting a 2-and-0 pitch from Shaw to deep center. Center fielder Devon White retreated on the ball, but it went over his head and hit the wall.

Boone and Tucker crossed the plate to tie the score. Shaw got Mark Lewis to fly out to center for the final out, but the damage was done.

Shaw’s failure to close the door wasted another impressive effort by Valdes. The right-hander scattered seven hits while limiting the Reds to one run. Had Shaw held on in the ninth, Valdes would have won for the fourth time in his last five starts.

Sheffield supported Valdes with two run-scoring hits, and he also made a key play defensively in the seventh.

Valdes struck out Jason LaRue with one out in the seventh, but LaRue reached first when catcher Angel Pena couldn’t handle the third-strike wild pitch.

LaRue advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt, putting the tying run in scoring position with two men out.

Hal Morris pinch-hit for second baseman Chris Stynes, who replaced Pokey Reese in the first after Valdes hit the Cincinnati leadoff batter with a pitch. X-rays on Reese’s hand were negative and he is listed as day-to-day.

Morris singled to left in the seventh and Cincinnati third-base coach Ron Oester sent LaRue with Sheffield charging the ball. Sheffield grabbed the ball on one hop and delivered a strike to Pena.

The rookie catcher made a textbook block of the plate for the final out.