Dodgers Will Need Map to Discover This Division’s Treasure

On the first day of the rest of the season, Craig Counsell of the Arizona Diamondbacks was talking about the new Dodgers and old-fashioned pressure.

It was a pregame interview.

It could have been a soundtrack for the first inning of Thursday’s game.

“When it gets down to those games in September for them, it will be a little uncharted.”

Hideo Nomo walks leadoff hitter Tony Womack.

“There will be games you lose, you will start wondering.”

Counsell hits a soft double-play pop fly that Cesar Izturis drops. “There are times you will need to tighten the ship.”

Junior Spivey hits a grounder that Adrian Beltre catches, then he falls and throws wildly to first. “There are times you cannot give in to that tough loss.”

Luis Gonzalez hits a soft pop to left field that Brian Jordan tentatively allows to drop, scoring one run. “For us, that is no longer an issue.”

For the Dodgers?

That is the only issue.

They began the official second half of the season Thursday leading the World Series champion Diamondbacks, but chasing them.

In first place, but the last team expected to stay there.

Thrilled at their journey, but now working without a map.

“Eighty-eight games into the season, we’re not an accident anymore,” Dodger Manager Jim Tracy said.

It is a statement to which--judging by the quick boos that filled crowded Dodger Stadium on Thursday--their fans have one response.

Oh yeah?

Then prove it.

Prove it against a team that was beaten senseless last fall in the Bronx, then staggered home three days later to win a championship.

Prove it with something other than what they showed Thursday, when they committed three errors in the first four innings then blew three comebacks in a 4-3 loss.

They came back from a 2-0 deficit against Randy Johnson to tie it at 2-all, yet Jordan botched a short fly to left field and the Diamondbacks took the lead.

They came back from a 3-2 deficit to tie it at 3-all, yet Paul Quantrill gave up two fence-banging drives, including Quinton McCracken’s RBI double in the eighth.

Umpire Bill Hohn blew a call that would have allowed Mark Grudzielanek to drive in the tying run in the eighth, but the Dodgers wouldn’t have been in that position without making their own mistakes.

All of this happened against a Diamondback team that, with Matt Williams and Erubiel Durazo and Matt Mantei returning from injuries, feels it has not yet begun to fight.

“For us to be where we’re at right now, after the way we’ve played in the first half, I’m pretty happy with it,” Arizona Manager Bob Brenly said. “I don’t think we’ve hit any kind of rhythm all season.”

The Dodgers have found that rhythm.

Now that they are in first place at the All-Star break for the first time in eight years, they need to turn the neat trick of maintaining it while becoming tone deaf.

They need to ignore the praise, shut out the boos, let the heat roll off their backs like the beads of perspiration last week in St. Louis.

Nothing for these Dodgers is going to come easy.

Nobody knows that better than the Diamondbacks.

“It all comes down to the character of your team,” Arizona catcher Damian Miller said. “It’s all about how your team reacts to the bad times. We’ve done that.”

Until this season, the Dodgers have had more characters than character.

The last time they were in a truly important pennant race game against the Diamondbacks, last fall, Gary Sheffield was thrown out for arguing strikes in the first inning and the team collapsed.

The last time the Diamondbacks were in a similar situation, Gonzalez hit a looping single against Mariano Rivera and made history.

“We know we don’t panic,” Counsell said.

Do the Dodgers? Will the Dodgers?

Deep down, they are as curious as everyone else.

“I’m anxiously awaiting,” Tracy said, quickly adding, “but I say that with the utmost confidence. I’m excited for them.”

The Diamondbacks admit that they see a little of themselves in the other dugout.

Said Counsell: “We know the Dodgers are for real.”

Said Mark Grace: “They’ve got guys who have been around, they’ve got a manager they respect, they’re not going anywhere.”

But where exactly are they going?

Wherever it is, they better bring their sunscreen.

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Bill Plaschke can be reached at bill.plaschke@latimes.com.