Dodgers Again Fail to Connect

The Dodgers scored a run Wednesday.

So much for the good news.

One run usually isn’t enough--and it wasn’t in the Atlanta Braves’ 5-1 victory at Turner Field.

The surging Braves hit three solo home runs against Dodger rookie starter Eric Gagne in support of Kevin Millwood, winning their ninth in a row before 31,734.

“I’ve got to stop making mistakes like that,” Gagne (0-1) said of the homers he gave up to Andruw Jones, Chipper Jones and Andres Galarraga. “You can’t give up three homers in a game, especially against the Braves.”

Especially with his teammates struggling offensively.

The Dodgers ended their scoreless streak at 24 innings, getting their only run in three games on Walt Weiss’ fourth-inning error on Gagne’s bases-loaded grounder. They had the tying run at the plate in the ninth after closer John Rocker walked the bases loaded, but encountered frustration again.

Pinch-hitter Devon White grounded into a game-ending double play, adding another disappointing chapter to a good trip suddenly turned bad.

The Dodgers dropped their third in a row after three lopsided victories over theCincinnati Reds to open the trip.

Umpire Ted Tschida ejected left fielder Gary Sheffield in the eighth Wednesday, after Sheffield struck out swinging. The Dodgers have been doing that a lot lately.

“That thing with Sheff, I saw it coming,” Manager Davey Johnson said. “We felt he had a bad call on Sheff [in his previous at-bat], and I knew he was going to say something to him. Sheff is a gamer, and he knows the strike zone real well.”

Tschida angered Sheffield with a flippant gesture.

“When I struck out, he gestured to me to get out of there, and that showed me up,” Sheffield said. “I said, ‘The reason I struck out is because you’re so brutal.’ ”

And Sheffield’s work was done.

The Dodgers were upset about Tom Glavine’s wide strike zone in his 1-0 shutout victory Tuesday and didn’t appreciate Tschida’s calls Wednesday.

Of course, with their problems, the Dodgers need all the help they can get.

“It’s too early to be frustrated,” said Jose Vizcaino, who started at shortstop and went hitless in three at-bats. “We did great in Cincinnati, I guess we’re just trying to do too much now.”

The Braves are doing much well.

Andruw and Chipper hit back-to-back homers in the third, marking the second time the Braves accomplished the feat this season. Chipper also added a run-scoring infield single in the Braves’ two-run seventh.

Galarraga hit his eighth homer in the sixth. The first baseman continued his inspirational return after sitting out last season while undergoing cancer treatment.

Glavine befuddled the Dodgers in pitching his 19th career shutout, and Millwood (2-0) was almost as impressive Wednesday.

The rising young star gave up five hits in seven innings, and was sharp from the opening pitch. He struck out seven and walked two (one intentionally) while throwing 72 strikes in 109 pitches.

Mike Remlinger worked a scoreless eighth and Rocker survived the ninth-inning scare.

“Kevin threw real well,” Atlanta Manager Bobby Cox said. “That’s a real good-hitting team, and he held them in check like Tommy did.”

Gagne wasn’t bad either in his third start since being recalled from triple-A Albuquerque.

He gave up five hits, all the runs against him coming on the homers. Gagne struck out four and walked two while throwing 60 strikes in 90 pitches.

“I’m struggling with my release point,” he said. “I’m just not comfortable on the mound right now.”

Many of his teammates aren’t comfortable at the plate.

“We’ve just got to keep playing hard,” Vizcaino said. “We’ve got another game [today], and we can go home happy.”