Hitters Left at Starting Gate

Odalis Perez continued the Dodgers’ impressive run of quality starts Friday night against the San Francisco Giants.

As if it mattered.

Perez became the club’s latest frustrated starter as the batting order flopped again in a 3-2 loss before a sellout crowd of 42,022 at Pacific Bell Park.

The left-hander gave up six hits -- including Barry Bonds’ fourth home run -- and three runs in six innings, recording the rotation’s 10th quality start in 12 games.

But the Dodger offense produced only five hits against Giant left-hander Kirk Rueter (2-0), setup man Felix Rodriguez and closer Tim Worrell. Adrian Beltre hit his second homer against Worrell in the ninth, and the solo shot pulled the Dodgers within a run.

But pinch-hitter Todd Hundley grounded out to end the game, giving Worrell his second save in as many days against the Dodgers, and fifth for the streaking Giants. The Giants are 10-1 under new Manager Felipe Alou, and lead the Dodgers by 5 1/2 games in the National League West.

The season has only started, but the Dodger pitching staff is already feeling the strain of an unsupportive offense.

“I’ve got to say, our pitching staff, we’ve been fine,” said Perez, whose right ankle was heavily wrapped after he sprained it running the bases in the sixth. “When the opposite team scores two or three runs against you, and you are not able to score runs, what can you do? Just keep trying.

“I know this thing is going to stop. It won’t be for the whole year; we’ve got to be scoring some runs.

“You just go out there and try to go six, seven innings. If we don’t score runs, at least the starting pitching, we are doing our jobs. It’s difficult, but I would say everyone is trying.”

Hideo Nomo was out-dueled Thursday by rookie Kurt Ainsworth as the Giants won the series opener, and Rueter was better than Perez (0-1) in a battle of left-handers.

The crafty Rueter provided the Giants with an impressive encore after Ainsworth’s eight-plus-inning masterpiece, giving up only four hits and one unearned run in 7 2/3 innings. He had one strikeout and two walks while throwing 57 strikes in 97 pitches.

Bonds’ 617th career homer gave the Giants a 1-0 lead in the second, and Andres Galarraga’s two-out, two-run single in the sixth put the Giants ahead again after Brian Jordan’s RBI single in the top of the inning tied the score.

Rodriguez helped Rueter escape a jam in the eighth, getting Jordan to fly out with two on.

The Dodgers went quickly and quietly in the first five innings against Rueter. They had only two baserunners, a leadoff walk to Beltre in the third and Shawn Green’s one-out single in the fourth.

“Rueter did good; his best start so far,” Alou said. “Good command and a very alive fastball. Rodriguez threw a big strike [to Jordan].”

Dodger Manager Jim Tracy was not as pleased.

“We’re just getting sporadic offensive at-bats here and there,” said Tracy, whose club is batting .223 and averaging 3.4 runs a game. “The fact that there’s 10 quality starts, and we’re not really hitting at all, with the exception of a couple of guys.

“Our pitching staff hasn’t done anything to disappoint me or any statement I’ve made about how good they are. They just need a couple more runs to work with.”

Somehow, the light-hitting club tied the score, 1-1, in the sixth. Jordan, one of the few productive everyday players to this point, drove in Dave Roberts with an RBI single up the middle, but the Giants reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the inning on Galarraga’s clutch hit.

Perez walked Jose Cruz Jr., after retiring Rich Aurilia and Bonds, then gave up a double down the left-field line to Benito Santiago.

The 41-year-old Galarraga came to the plate with two runners in scoring position and seized the opportunity, singling through the hole on the left side to drive in two runs.