Kreuter Takes Blame for Park’s Bad Outing

Catcher Chad Kreuter is responsible for Chan Ho Park’s abysmal performance in Thursday’s 8-5 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates.

At least, that’s Kreuter’s opinion.

Park’s primary catcher blames himself for the right-hander’s five-inning, seven-run outing, saying he should have done more to help.

Kreuter figured Park would eventually find a groove because he usually does, but that didn’t happen and Kreuter knows why. Well, sort of.

“It was my fault and I accept the responsibility,” the 11-year veteran said. “I have a pitcher who we know is . . . fragile. He has a history of being great, but at the same time sometimes being [like a rookie].

“I will take the blame in the fact that after that [two-run] first inning, I didn’t get him steered in the right direction. I didn’t get his mind where it needed be. What I saw last night was a very timid pitcher. I didn’t have my aggressive pitcher out there that I normally have.”

Park was out of sync before the first pitch.

He struggled in a pregame bullpen session, labored while throwing warmup pitches in the first inning and appeared unsure of his command and strategy throughout a 76-pitch, 53-strike outing.

High heat and humidity didn’t help, but Pirate starter Todd Ritchie also worked in the uncomfortable weather.

So in addition to Kreuter’s lack of support, what were Park’s other problems against the Pirates?

“I don’t know, we’ll sit down and talk about it, but that’s why I say I’ll take the blame,” Kreuter said. “I knew after the first inning that it wasn’t right, and I didn’t get to him enough.

“The second inning, he got through it, the third inning, he got through it. I thought, ‘OK, he’s turned it,’ so I didn’t try to do anything extra other than just call the pitches, talk to him a little bit and keep going on.

“I didn’t spot that he was still in that . . . I can’t pinpoint what it was. It was just one of those things and it happened quick.”

Park said his command was the only problem, not Kreuter.

“My curveball wasn’t too good,” said Park, 11-8 with a 3.12 earned-run average. “I just have to do better [in] my next game.”

The Dodgers accomplished their pitching goals in acquiring starter James Baldwin and relievers Terry Mulholland and Mike Trombley before the July 31 non-waiver trading deadline.

Now, interim general manager Dave Wallace and interim assistant general manager Dan Evans hope to bolster the bench with another right-handed batting middle infielder before postseason rosters are set Aug. 31.

Evans, sources said, is in discussions with teams about players who have cleared waivers.

“You’re always looking to add pieces to the puzzle,” Wallace said. “You don’t know whether you can, but you keep trying to get better.”

TONIGHT

DODGERS’ ERIC GAGNE

(4-4, 4.78 ERA)

vs.

PHILLIES’ ROBERT PERSON

(9-6, 4.89 ERA)

Veterans Stadium, 1 p.m. PDT

TV--Channel 11. Radio--KXTA (1150), KWKW (1330)

Update--Gagne, pitching for the first time against the Phillies, has been one of the club’s top starters in the second half, going 3-0 with a 3.34 ERA in 35 innings spanning five starts. The right-hander had a 5.42 ERA in 78 innings before the all-star break. Person is 1-2 with a 4.94 ERA in four games against the Dodgers.