Dodgers Cold, but Perez Hot

The last game before the All-Star break was like the last day of school. Nobody could focus and one guy was so unhappy with his report card he pointed fingers at everyone but himself.

Even as he said the Dodgers must pull together if they want to contend in the second half.

Pitcher Odalis Perez blamed the coaches for letting him begin the sixth inning, when he gave up four consecutive hits that erased a four-run Dodger lead in a sloppy 6-5 loss to the Houston Astros on Sunday at Minute Maid Park.

“I was very, very tired,” he said. “It was my second start since being on the [disabled list]. I didn’t want to be out there giving up runs. We don’t have a guy in the bullpen who could go for one inning and come back after the All-Star break?”

Perez, who was re-signed during the off-season to a three-year, $24-million contract, said he felt singled out at a players meeting a day earlier.

“There are people who came from other teams pointing fingers and saying things,” he said. “People going to the Hall of Fame I respect. That guy Jeff Kent I respect. But there are other people who think they are superstars. No, they aren’t.

“If you have a problem, come and talk to me. Don’t be calling me out in front of everyone. I hate that. Don’t embarrass me in front of everyone.”

The Dodgers (40-48) have been humiliated in front of the entire National League. They are 7-18 since June 14 and were 2-5 on this trip, ending it with four losses.

Everyone is frustrated and several players acknowledged that clubhouse fissures were addressed at the meeting. However, they also said Perez was not the only player whose actions were questioned.

One player summarized the root of the problem far more economically than Perez. “It’s called losing,” he said.

The injury-riddled Dodgers are becoming experts on the subject. Brad Ausmus punched a single to right against reliever Duaner Sanchez with two out in the eighth to score Morgan Ensberg with the go-ahead run.

Walking off the field was a despondent squad that included one player -- catcher Jason Phillips -- who was expected to start this season. Around the horn were Jason Grabowski, Antonio Perez, Oscar Robles and Mike Edwards. The outfielders were Chin-Feng Chen, Jason Repko and Ricky Ledee.

Kent, who will start at second for the National League in the All-Star game, played first base as a precaution because he has a tender hamstring and was removed for a pinch-runner in the eighth.

Perez threw more than 30 pitches in the first inning because Robles threw wildly to second on a double-play ball. A run scored and Perez had to pitch out of a bases-loaded, none out situation.

He sailed through the next four innings and began the sixth approaching 90 pitches. Perez said nothing when pitching Coach Jim Colborn told him, “Good job, keep going.”

But he went to the mound in the sixth feeling as if he should have been showering instead. “From my point of view, I think it was enough,” he said. “When I was warming up I knew my fastball wasn’t the same any more.”

Said Colborn: “If we felt like he couldn’t pitch, he wouldn’t have been out there.”

Lance Berman singled, Ensberg homered, Jason Lane singled and Adam Everett tripled to cut the Dodger lead to 5-4. Rookie Franquelis Osoria came on and gave up a single to Chris Burke that scored the tying run.

Several players were dressed and gone by the time reporters were allowed in the clubhouse. Perez however, showered leisurely and talked freely, quickly going from a simmer to a boil. “Pitchers are getting mad at position players and position players are getting mad at pitchers,” he said. “That’s what is going on.”

Last season Perez angered teammates when he criticized them for a lack of run support -- somewhat understandable because he set a franchise record with 18 no-decisions while going 7-6. When he was signed in January he said he was finished making controversial comments.

“I say the truth and I know the truth hurts,” he said at the Jan. 11 news conference. “I won’t even want to try to tell the truth again because you know what happened.”

Any plans to become diplomatic were forgotten Sunday, although he did try to put a positive spin on his tirade. “When you see people going in a different direction, it’s hard to regroup,” he said. “If we can pull together and not be pointing fingers, we’ll do better.”