Dodgers Being Driven Batty

It’s as if somebody tapped a Dodgers decision-maker staring at the pitcher’s mound on the shoulder and whispered, “Don’t look now, but the problem is over there, at the bat rack.”

Mending a porous pitching staff has kept team officials occupied for weeks. They are trying to acquire another starter before the July 31 trading deadline. They’ve asked injured Brett Tomko to consider moving to the bullpen and eventually becoming a closer. Derek Lowe did emergency work on his delivery before the game. Staff stalwarts Brad Penny and Aaron Sele got extra rest.

Yet against the St. Louis Cardinals the last three days, the pitching has been mostly fine and the hitting mostly feeble.

A day after getting shut out, the Dodgers were held scoreless Saturday after the first inning, losing, 2-1, in 10 innings before the third consecutive sellout at Busch Stadium.

The Dodgers (46-45) have scored three runs in 33 innings of three losses since the All-Star break, the team batting average dropping to .280. They still lead the National League in batting, but the Cardinals (51-39) are on their tail at .278.

Something the Cardinals -- and every other team in the league -- do better than the Dodgers is hit home runs. Albert Pujols tied the score, 1-1, in the sixth with his 31st homer, the Cardinals’ fourth of the series, driving an ankle-high change-up from Mark Hendrickson into the first row.

The Dodgers remain last in the league in homers, coming close to adding to their total of 77 only when Jose Cruz Jr. flied out to deep right field in the ninth.

“We’ve got to live with it,” Manager Grady Little said. “All we’re trying to do as a team is hit more home runs than Albert Pujols.”

Hendrickson deserved better. In his third Dodgers start, the 6-foot-9 left-hander gave up five hits and matched Cardinals right-hander Jeff Suppan, who gave up a run only when J.D. Drew doubled to score Rafael Furcal four batters into the game.

The Dodgers bullpen also fared well until bizarre events triggered a last-inning Cardinals victory for the second time in three games. David Eckstein singled with one out in the 10th against Danys Baez, but it appeared he would be doubled off first base when Furcal caught a line drive by So Taguchi.

Even at 5-7, though, Eckstein was able to block the view of first baseman Nomar Garciaparra, who couldn’t see the ball, which ticked off Garciaparra’s glove, resulting in an error for Furcal and Eckstein standing at second.

Pujols was walked intentionally and Scott Rolen hit a bloop single to left that scored Eckstein.

“I lost sight of it,” Garciaparra said of the throw. “The ball came across, behind the runner and it hit my hand. It was a tough play all around.”

The Dodgers’ best chance to take a lead came in the eighth when they squandered a bases-loaded, one-out opportunity against reliever Adam Wainwright, who gave up an infield single to Drew and walked Jeff Kent and Andre Ethier. Cesar Izturis fouled off a questionable 2-0 pitch before striking out and Toby Hall popped out.

There was no need for Dodgers closer Takashi Saito, who is eight for eight in save opportunities but someday could be challenged by Tomko. Little has spoken to Tomko about a move to the bullpen, and the veteran right-hander was receptive.

“It’s very intriguing to me,” Tomko said. “I’d want to do more than be a long guy. Going as hard as you can for one inning is an appealing idea.”

Moving to the bullpen would enable Tomko to return sooner from the strained abdominal injury that has kept him sidelined since June 24 because he wouldn’t have to build up the arm strength to pitch six or more innings.

He would begin in a setup role and become a closer if needed. Little compared Tomko’s situation to that of Tom Gordon, who started for parts of nine seasons before becoming an All-Star closer.

The move might be contingent on the Dodgers strengthening their rotation through a trade. Or at least continuing to get consistent starts from Hendrickson, Sele and rookie Chad Billingsley.

As for the mounting batting problems, there isn’t much Tomko can do about that.