It All Goes South for Dodgers

For one steamy afternoon in Busch Stadium on Sunday, the Dodgers seemed to forget everything they did to surge into first place in the National League West heading into the All-Star break.

The superb starting pitching that has been a hallmark of this team, the solid relief, the persistent offense, the seamless defense

Placido Polanco had a career-high five hits, Eduardo Perez hit a three-run homer off Dodger starter Omar Daal in the first inning, Edgar Renteria had three hits, including a solo homer in the first, and Albert Pujols had three hits, including a game-breaking, three-run homer in the fourth, to pace the Cardinals’ 17-hit attack.

Daal, who gave up three earned runs in 17 innings of his last three starts, all victories, was bombed for eight runs and eight hits in 3 2/3 innings, Giovanni Carrara gave up Pujols’ homer, and Terry Mulholland gave up three runs in a rocky sixth.

Left fielder Hiram Bocachica, who entered as a pinch-hitter in the sixth, and center fielder Marquis Grissom suffered a communication breakdown on Renteria’s sixth-inning fly, which fell for a hit.

Though the Cardinals employed a bullpen relay, using six relievers after Bud Smith was demoted from the rotation Saturday, the Dodgers (54-34) managed only one run after the third inning.

It was the kind of loss that could leave a sour taste over the break, perhaps spoiling the Dodgers’ frame of mind before a crucial four-game series against Arizona begins Thursday. So Manager Jim Tracy held a brief postgame team meeting to stress the big picture over Sunday’s ugly snapshot.

“I told them I’m extremely proud of what they accomplished,” Tracy said. “We have 74 games left, and no one should feel the least bit disappointed about any effort they’ve given. We’re 20 games over .500 and in first place. We split a [5-5] road trip against three very good clubs, Anaheim, Arizona and St. Louis. I’m extremely proud of what this team has done.”

The Dodgers showed some resiliency Sunday, erasing a four-run, first-inning deficit with three runs in the second and two in the third to take a 5-4 lead.

Daal (RBI groundout), Dave Roberts (RBI bunt single) and Shawn Green (RBI single) knocked in the second-inning runs, and Roberts hit a bases-loaded, two-out single in the third for two more.

But Daal, who said he was not feeling any lingering effects from recent biceps and groin injuries, gave up Mike DiFelice’s RBI double and Polanco’s RBI single in the fourth before being pulled in favor of Carrara. Carrara gave up his second home run in as many days, Pujols’ three-run shot to left that gave the Cardinals a 9-5 lead.

Frustration was not limited to Dodger pitchers. Roberts was not happy about being pulled in favor of Bocachica in the sixth inning with a left-hander, Mike Matthews, on the mound for St. Louis and the Dodgers trailing, 9-5.

Roberts had two singles and three RBIs in his first three at-bats. Though he hasn’t started against a left-hander all season and has only 12 at-bats against left-handers--with five hits--the Cardinals had several right-handed relievers who were expected to be used in later innings, a strong reason to leave Roberts in.

Tracy said he thought Bocachica had a better chance of hitting a two-run home run that would have cut the lead in half, but the seldom-used Bocachica hit into a 5-4-3 double play, which was magnified by Paul Lo Duca’s ensuing walk and Shawn Green’s double. Eric Karros flied out to end the inning.

“You know what? All I can say is it’s his decision,” said Roberts, reluctant to criticize a manager who gave him his first starting job in the big leagues. “He felt in that situation that [Bocachica] gave us the best chance to win.”

Tracy also pulled Roberts from a June 5 game in Colorado--even though right-handed Jose Jimenez was pitching--after Roberts singled three times in four at-bats. Pinch-hitter Dave Hansen struck out with a runner on in the eighth inning, and the Dodgers lost, 8-6.

“Obviously, I want to be in there, but I’m not the manager, it’s not my decision to make,” Roberts said. “All I can do is make the most of my opportunities and make that decision tougher and tougher.”