Valenzuela Falters; So Do the Dodgers in 6-5 Defeat

Frustration reached peak levels at Dodger Stadium Monday night.

The Atlanta Braves tested the legendary patience of Manager Chuck Tanner by leaving 18 runners on base, tying a National League record.

And the Dodger bullpen exceeded the tolerance level of Manager Tom Lasorda, who was ejected by plate umpire Dick Stello after watching Ken Howell walk the Dodgers to a 6-5 loss to the Braves, their fourth straight defeat at home--all by one run--before a crowd of 48,103.

Lasorda’s agony began early, when starter Fernando Valenzuela was knocked out after a five-run fifth, his earliest KO in more than a year and one that may suggest possible physical problems for the Dodgers’ 10-game winner.

Then Lasorda was tormented by reliever Ed Vande Berg, who loaded the bases twice with walks. Vande Berg got himself out of trouble in the sixth, but Lasorda had to swallow hard and bring in Tom Niedenfuer to get Rafael Ramirez with three Braves on in the seventh. Niedenfuer did, retiring Ramirez on a fly ball.

But Lasorda could not bear the torture of the eighth, when his ace reliever, Howell, got two quick strikes on Ken Oberkfell, then walked him.

Glenn Hubbard sacrificed Oberkfell to second, and pinch-hitter Ted Simmons, leader of the Braves “Bomb Squad” of reserves, lined a run-scoring single to center.

Howell proceeded to walk Claudell Washington--who had four hits--on four pitches, and when he went to 2 and 0 on Omar Moreno, Lasorda could bear no more.

Something he said from the Dodger dugout prompted Stello to eject him, and the plate umpire merely dusted off the plate when Lasorda brought the argument onto the field.

“I thought I was getting squeezed on some of those calls,” said Howell, whose record fell to 2-6 while his earned-run average continued to shoot up, from 0.98 to 2.13 after giving up his eighth earned run in his last eight appearances.

“I know I’ve had some trouble walking people this season and I don’t say much or gesture to an umpire, but after that last pitch to Moreno, I couldn’t hold it in any longer.

“That was the same pitch that brought Lasorda to his feet in the dugout.”

Howell has walked 34 batters in 50 innings.

The Braves won despite leaving the bases loaded four times, and two runners on in three innings. With Enos Cabell on second after an infield hit and stolen base, Gene Garber, the fourth Atlanta pitcher, struck out Franklin Stubbs to end the game.

The questions are merely beginning, however, about Valenzuela.

“I feel good,” Valenzuela said to the first question about his shoulder.

To the second, he said: “Why (do you ask)? I’ll talk to you tomorrow. I don’t feel too good.”

The Dodger left-hander has perpetuated his own myth of indestructibility by making 190 starts--including playoffs and World Series--without missing a turn.

It’s a rare admission when Valenzuela lets on to being tired, although that has happened a couple of times this season. Lasorda said he pulled Valenzuela for that reason in the seventh inning of his last start, although Valenzuela said he could have continued in the Dodgers’ 5-2 win over the Braves last Wednesday.

Valenzuela even has admitted to some shoulder stiffness, which is rarer still.

So it was hardly a surprise that it appeared either the Dodgers or their star pitcher were waffling on Valenzuela’s departure with two out in the fifth, the earliest he has been knocked out since May 14, 1985, when he lasted just four innings in an 8-3 loss to the Chicago Cubs here.

Lasorda dispatched trainer Charlie Strasser to the mound after the Braves’ sixth hit of the inning, a single by Moreno, brought home their fifth run, wiping out a 4-0 Dodger lead.

Strasser soon was joined by pitching coach Ron Perranoski, and after just the briefest of conversations, Valenzuela handed Perranoski the ball, trudged to the dugout, then disappeared into the clubhouse.

Yet, in the bottom of the inning, Dodger publicist Steve Brener made this announcement in the pressbox:

“The report from the trainers’ room is Fernando is OK. They thought there was something wrong, but he’s OK.”

Valenzuela’s pitching line, however, spoke for itself: 4.2 innings pitched, 5 runs, 10 hits, 4 walks, 3 strikeouts.

Just a bad outing? It’s within the realm of the possible that Valenzuela could give up five runs after two were out. Lasorda could fast for a week, too.

Strasser, on what was said at the mound: “He (Valenzuela) said nothing. I came out because Tommy thought there was something wrong with him. Freddy’s a quiet guy.”

Lasorda: “I thought there was something bothering him.”

Is Lasorda satisfied that there isn’t?

“All I can go by is what he says,” Lasorda said.

Dodger Notes

It’s Dodger day at the hospital, and that’s not another clever Dodger marketing promotion. Three uniformed personnel are scheduled for surgery today: First baseman Greg Brock and bullpen coach Mark Cresse are both scheduled for arthroscopic surgery on their left knees, while backup infielder Dave Anderson is scheduled for an operation to repair a fracture of the little finger on his right hand. Brock had reconstructive surgery on the same knee 10 years ago. Trainer Bill Buhler said he has a tear in the meniscus, a crescent-shaped cartilage in the knee. Even a slight tear, he said, will sideline Brock for a minimum of three weeks. Anderson’s surgery will involve the placement of a metal pin to hold the finger in place. Anderson will be out at least six weeks . . . Shortstop Mariano Duncan missed his third straight game with a sprained left ankle. Duncan took batting practice but said he couldn’t run without pain .