Another Wild Blue Yawner by Dodgers

Another night in a tight playoff race, and another wasted opportunity for the Dodgers.

They followed a familiar frustrating pattern Wednesday in a 6-1 loss to the Houston Astros, dropping their fourth in a row as the National League wild-card lead remains tantalizingly within their reach.

Houston quickly took command against a Dodger starter for the second time in as many nights before 23,094 at Minute Maid Park.

The Astros still had a lot left after pounding Odalis Perez in Tuesday’s 18-4 blowout, and even Hideo Nomo wasn’t up to the challenge.

The Astros (70-62) jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first against the usually dependable right-hander.

Jeff Bagwell provided the big blow with his 30th home run -- a three-run shot into the right-field seats. The Astros won their third in a row and opened a one-game lead in the NL Central.

The other part of the troubling situation also held to form for the Dodgers, as wild-card co-leaders Philadelphia and Florida lost again.

Although the Phillies and Marlins have gone 2-8 and 3-7, respectively, in their last 10 games, the Dodgers (67-64) have gained only a half game in the wild-card standings.

They’re still 2 1/2 games back in a crowded pack that also includes Montreal, Arizona, St. Louis and Chicago -- all within 1 1/2 games of the co-leaders. The Dodgers’ inability to seize the moment prompted Manager Jim Tracy to conduct a brief team meeting to refocus on the goal he believes is still attainable.

“What we’ve done here over the course of the past four days is lose four days to the calendar schedule, that’s it, and we’re very fortunate in that regard,” Tracy said. “With 31 games left to play, it’s about what our club wants to do over the course of these final games of the season.

“We can make a lot of these low points very moot if we make up our minds that we’re going to make 31 days’ worth of complete commitment, and win several of these games. I’m talking about playing like a team down the stretch has to play in order to get done what we’re trying to get done.”

The theme resonated throughout the clubhouse.

“No one is playing like they want it, and I think the baseball gods are looking out for us, but we have to find some way to turn things around,” center fielder Dave Roberts said.

“We’ve obviously gotten more help than we could have ever asked for to this point. Like Trace said, we’ve got 31 games left, and there’s no sense in dwelling on where we could be.

“It’s all about where we’re at. We have to try to be positive and realize we’re fortunate to be where we’re at, and we have to do something about it.”

With Nomo on the mound, the Dodgers thought they were headed in the right direction.

Nomo had won three in a row, but the Astros are a productive bunch, and they got the clutch hits, especially in the first inning.

Nomo lasted five innings and gave up all six runs (five earned). For only the eighth time in 29 starts, he failed to work at least seven innings.

“Overall, I didn’t feel that bad, I actually felt kind of good,” Nomo said through an interpreter. “The only thing I can say is, the opponent did better than us.”

In the first, Bagwell became the 13th player in major league history to hit at least 30 homers in eight consecutive seasons. Lance Berkman followed with a run-scoring double up the incline in straightaway center estimated at 430 feet, and the tone was set.

“Their hitters are good, and right now there’s no fear,” pitching coach Jim Colborn said. “They’re not defensive against our staff like some teams are, and when they get a pitch to hit, they’re wailing on it.”

Wade Miller (11-11) gave up seven hits and an unearned run in seven strong innings to even his record.

He also escaped early jams, nothing new for pitchers who face the Dodgers.

“We had opportunities early in the game, with multiple runners in scoring position, and we could not come up with the big at-bat,” Tracy said. “But that’s something that has troubled us throughout the course of this entire season.”