Dodgers Lose for First Time in 263 Days

It was an eerie sensation that blanketed the Dodger clubhouse Saturday night, and for a while, no one knew quite how to react.

You see, it had been 263 days since they had experienced such a feeling, but finally, at 10:01 p.m., it happened.

The Dodgers finally lost a baseball game, 4-3, to the Atlanta Braves before 45,885 at Dodger Stadium.

It was their first defeat since Aug. 9, 1994, spanning five games and 263 days, but not even an 8 1/2-month strike could save the Dodgers from the inevitable.

“You try to put it off as long as you can,� Dodger outfielder Mitch Webster said, “but you know it’s eventually going to happen. You’ll drive yourself crazy if you think you’re going to win them all, but the first one always hurts.�

The Dodgers (3-1), who until Saturday had not even trailed in a game this season, rallied from a 3-0 deficit in the sixth inning only to lose in the ninth on rookie catcher Javier Lopez’s one-out, run-scoring single off Rudy Seanez.

Atlanta reliever Greg McMichael, who struck out four and pitched two shutout innings, was the winner. Rob Murphy, who yielded a leadoff single to Fred McGriff in the ninth, was the loser.

“I know it’s been a long time, but the difference is that we expect to win,� Dodger second baseman Delino DeShields said. “We actually have enough confidence where we believe we can win every night.�

The Dodgers, who trail the Colorado Rockies by a game in the National League West, looked helpless for the first five innings against Kent Mercker.

Mercker gave up three hits during his stint, allowing one runner to reach third. The Dodgers’ only threat with Mercker in the game occurred in the second inning with one out and runners on first and second. But Mercker struck out Reggie Williams on three pitches and Carlos Hernandez on four.

Perhaps this shouldn’t have been too surprising, considering that Mercker pitched a no-hitter on April 8, 1994 against the Dodgers. In fact, there’s no team Mercker would rather face--he has a 1.05 earned-run average in 18 games against them.

Yet, no matter how hard he begged to stay in, the shortened spring made it mandatory that Mercker be pulled after five innings with a 3-0 lead.

It took all of one inning for the lead to evaporate.

Atlanta rookie Brad Woodall opened the sixth inning by walking Jose Offerman, then gave up a sharp single to Raul Mondesi.

Out went Woodall. In came 12-year veteran Steve Bedrosian.

No matter, Eric Karros singled to left field, scoring Offerman, and when left fielder Mike Kelly’s throw caromed off shortstop Jeff Blauser’s glove, Mondesi advanced to third and Karros to second.

Billy Ashley grounded out to second base, scoring Mondesi, and pinch-hitter Dave Hansen tied the score at 3-3 with a single to center, scoring Karros.

The comeback also got Dodger starter Ismael Valdes off the hook. Valdes, who is expected to return to the bullpen before his next scheduled start in 10 days, gave up two hits in his five-inning stint but still found himself trailing, 3-0.

Valdes retired the first five batters before walking Ryan Klesko with two out in the second. He then fell behind Lopez, 2 and 0, and decided to come in with a fastball.

Lopez, realizing same, sat back and waited. He sent it flying over the right-field fence, and Atlanta had a 2-0 lead.

Valdes again got himself in trouble with his control in the fifth, walking two batters, and paid the price when Marquis Grissom hit a two-out, run-scoring single that gave the Braves a 3-0 lead.

Valdes, 21, walked three and struck out three in only the second start of his career.

“You’re going to be hearing a lot from this guy,� Dodger pitching Coach Dave Wallace said. “I saw him when he was 16. He was this tall, skinny guy with a great curveball. We liked him then.

“He’s extremely intelligent. He learned the English language probably faster than any Latin player I’ve ever had. He just has a great aptitude.�