Nomo Struggles Early, Often in Dodger Loss

Hideo Nomo walked off the mound slowly Wednesday night and disappeared into the dugout as a chorus of boos echoed throughout Dodger Stadium.

He might not reemerge as a starting pitcher for the Dodgers.

The struggling former ace might have reached the end of a long and painful road for himself and the Dodgers in a 7-1 blowout loss to San Francisco.

A crowd of 47,081 applauded as Manager Jim Tracy took the ball from Nomo with two out in the fifth inning, and those who remained until the end watched the Dodgers score once in the ninth to avoid being shut out by the National League West leaders.

The Dodgers’ effort in the ninth, however, didn’t outweigh the disappointment in the clubhouse after Nomo buried them from the outset in another ineffective outing.

“It wasn’t a good outing,� said Tracy, who declined comment when asked whether Nomo would remain in the rotation. “It wasn’t good.�

The Giants hit three home runs and scored seven runs against Nomo in only 4 2/3 innings. Barry Bonds connected for his 20th homer.

Ray Durham (No. 4) and Marquis Grissom (No. 12) also got good pitches to handle as a stadium scoreboard listed Nomo’s fastballs consistently in the low 80s while he pitched from the windup.

The onetime workhorse failed to pitch into the seventh inning for the 14th time in as many starts while becoming the NL’s first 10-game loser at 3-10 with an 8.06 earned-run average.

Nomo, winless since April 21, is 0-9 with an 8.80 ERA in his last 10 starts.

The Dodgers since spring training had crossed their fingers and hoped Nomo, who underwent off-season shoulder surgery, would revert to form despite few encouraging signs. They had kept him in the rotation as much because of the heart he displayed in leading the staff the previous two seasons as the cold reality that their alternatives were not much better.

Unfortunately for Nomo, loyalty only goes so far, and any option might now appear more attractive to the Dodgers.

If the Dodgers released Nomo, they would owe him the remainder of his $9-million salary. Does Nomo believe he should remain in the rotation?

“As I always say, that’s something that’s up to Tracy, not me,� Nomo said through an interpreter. “I don’t feel I’m pitching bad, but the results just aren’t coming.�

The third-place Dodgers (39-36) dropped back to 3 1/2 games behind the division-leading Giants (44-34) after splitting the first two games of the three-game series.

But how much longer could they afford to stick with Nomo?

“It’s tough on everybody right now,� leadoff batter Dave Roberts said. “Coming off surgery, Hideo is doing everything he can to go out there and compete.

“Obviously, he hasn’t had as much success as he would have liked. No one is more frustrated than Hideo is, but that’s Trace’s decision to determine what’s in the best interest of this team.�

Holding to form, Nomo quickly encountered trouble as the Giants routed him for the second time in as many starts.

San Francisco produced nine hits and seven runs against Nomo in last Thursday’s 9-3 victory at SBC Park, and he was in a hole Wednesday after facing only one batter.

Durham’s fourth leadoff homer -- on an 82-mph fastball -- of the season and 29th of his career gave the Giants a 1-0 lead. Durham moved into sole possession of ninth place all-time in leadoff homers after having shared the spot with Davey Lopes and Kenny Lofton.

Nomo had given up 13 homers in 62 1/3 innings beginning play, and the Giants continued to take extended batting practice until Nomo was pulled.

Bonds’ three-run shot -- on an 87-mph fastball -- in the third gave San Francisco starter Brett Tomko (3-4) a 4-0 lead, and Tomko capitalized on the support while giving up one run in 8 1/3 innings.

Backup catcher David Ross is still hopeful for Nomo.

“He was a horse for us last year,� Ross said. “He goes all out every time he goes in there, so you can’t fault him for that. But whatever happens, that’s the manager’s decision. That’s not up to us.�