Bonds Is All Dodgers Can Hit in a 2-0 Loss

Getting acquainted with Grady Little is like sliding into a well-worn easy chair.

Getting to know his managerial style isn’t much different.

Just sit still and watch.

In the Dodgers’ fitful 2-0 loss to the San Francisco Giants on Sunday night at Dodger Stadium, Little revealed something of himself while keeping something else hidden in the name of propriety.

Hit his cleanup hitter in the head with a pitch, and apparently his pitcher will retaliate -- even if it means plunking Barry Bonds.

Put runners on first and second with none out while trailing by two in the late innings, and he’ll order a sacrifice bunt -- even if it means giving up his No. 5 hitter and taking the bat out of the hands of the next hitter, the hot Bill Mueller.

Ask about both situations afterward, and Little will provide calm and diplomatic answers -- even if he is reluctant to offer a complete explanation.

Jeff Kent was hit in the head by a pitch from Giant right-hander Brad Hennessey with none out and a runner on first in the seventh inning, suffering a mild concussion and a contusion.

“I was scared to death,” Little said. “Once I got out there and could tell he had his faculties, I felt better.”

Any feelings of relief soon vanished. Little had the next batter, Jose Cruz Jr., lay down a bunt to move up the runners, knowing full well that doing so would prompt the Giants to walk Mueller, who is batting .356.

Hennessey was replaced by right-hander Scott Munter, and Little countered with left-handed Ricky Ledee to hit for rookie first baseman James Loney. Ledee struck out and Olmedo Saenz had to play first base, eliminating his availability as a pinch-hitter.

Little’s reputation as manager of the Boston Red Sox in 2002 and 2003 included an aversion to the bunt. Maybe that will change in the National League, where runs can be harder to come by.

Of Cruz’s bunting the runners into scoring position, Little said: “We’re going to try to put our hitters in those situations as often as we can.”

Of calling on Ledee and effectively burning his best two pinch-hitters in the same spot in the order, he said: “That was a tough decision, but the matchup with Ricky and Munter was good. We’d do it again.”

The drama was only beginning.

Bonds led off the next inning and left-handed reliever Tim Hamulack hit him with the second pitch just above the right elbow. Bonds gave a wry smile and took his base. Plate umpire Lance Barksdale ejected Hamulack. Little argued in vain and afterward denied ordering payback.

“Barry hangs out over the plate,” Little said. “The explanation the umpire gave me was not it at all, and I’m disappointed with that.”

Hamulack said he was trying to throw the pitch outside. “It just slipped,” he said.

Hennessey basically gave the same account for the pitch that hit Kent.

“It was supposed to be a changeup away and my release point was all screwed up,” he said. “You never want that to happen.”

Giant Manager Felipe Alou backed his pitcher while questioning Hamulack.

“Anybody who believes Hennessey was throwing at Kent, that is bush league,” said Alou, who added that he didn’t see the pitch that hit Bonds.

“One of my coaches said, ‘They drilled Barry.’ When they say ‘drilled,’ they thought [Hamulack] threw at him. The umpire believed he threw at him, right?”

The loss of Kent was felt in the eighth when his spot came around with two on and two out. Ramon Martinez, who had pinch-run for Kent, popped up.

Afterward Little said he did not order Hamulack to hit Bonds. But he certainly wouldn’t have admitted it if he had. He remembers getting fined $1,000 for talking about retaliating for pitchers hitting Manny Ramirez in 2002.

It took a player, Giant outfielder Moises Alou, to state the obvious.

“If he did hit Barry, that’s the way you play the game,” he said. “Kent is their big guy. There’s no way we hit him in the head on purpose, but if you are [Little], you want to show him some respect.”