Dodgers One-Upped

By STEVE SPRINGER

Sept. 20, 1997 12 AM PT

TIMES STAFF WRITER

Think of the Colorado Rockies and what is the first thing that pops into your mind?

Home runs, of course.

High altitude or sea level, home or away, Colorado has been sending balls over the fence at a record rate this season, having hit a National League-record 231.

There is Larry Walker (48 homer), Vinny Castilla (40) and Andres Galarraga (39).

But as far as the Dodgers are concerned, none of them is as scary as Jeff Reed.

Jeff Reed?

That’s right, the Colorado catcher who smashed two of the three Rocky home runs Friday night at Dodger Stadium as Colorado beat the Dodgers, 6-4.

The Dodgers did their part to help the Rockies, an Eric Karros error and a wild pitch by Dodger starter and loser Hideo Nomo (13-12) playing a crucial part in a two-run seventh that sent Colorado into the lead.

The loss, the Dodgers’ third in a row, coupled with the San Francisco Giants’ 7-4 victory over the San Diego Padres dropped the Dodgers into second place in the National League West by a game with eight to play.

It is the second time Reed, who has 16 homers, has hit two in a game, the other time also coming against the Dodgers earlier this season.

The victory went to Pedro Astacio (12-9), who got his revenge on the Dodgers, the team that traded him on Aug. 18 for second baseman Eric Young.

When he got to Dodger Stadium Friday afternoon, Astacio had to ask a guard for directions to the visiting clubhouse.

But he didn’t need any directions to the mound. Pitching in the park that was his home for 5 1/2 years, Astacio went six innings, giving up three runs while striking out nine and walking one.

“Pedro pitched well,” Dodger Manager Bill Russell said. “He had a good curve and a good hard sinker. He didn’t look intimidated at all coming back here. It was big for him to come back here. He showed a lot of poise.”

Nomo, after suffering two losses and one no-decision in six outings, regained his form last weekend in Houston by going from the stretch position for the entire game.

Nomo again went from the stretch Friday night and shut the Rockies down for four innings.

But in the fifth, Colorado went to its favorite weapon, the home run. Reed hit his 15th to right field in the fifth and, after a Mike Piazza RBI single had extended the Dodger lead to 3-1 in the bottom of that inning, Ellis Burks hit his 30th homer to left in the sixth to make the score 3-2.

The Rockies went ahead in the seventh, but only because of a couple of big assists from the Dodgers.

With Rockies at second and third, Colorado second baseman Neifi Perez hit a ball that went under Karros’ glove into right field and pinch-runner Quinton McCracken came in with the tying run.

Pitching to pinch-hitter Todd Helton, Nomo appeared to lose his grasp on a pitch, the ball sailing so far past catcher Piazza that he couldn’t have caught it with a butterfly net. That allowed Castilla to trot home with the run that made it a 4-3 game.

Nomo departed after seven innings, having given up four runs on only five hits. He struck out nine, giving him 227 for the season, and walked one.

It became 5-3 in the eighth when Galarraga walked with two out, stole his 14th base and scored on a single by McCracken.

The Dodgers made it close in the bottom half of the inning. After Todd Zeile singled, pinch-hitter Nelson Liriano hit a bouncer back to pitcher Mike De Jean. Trying to get Zeile at second, De Jean threw the ball into center field, allowing Zeile to go to third. Burks in center then made a wild throw that allowed Liriano to take second.

Todd Hollandsworth struck out, and pinch-hitter Eddie Murray, after teasing the crowd of 53,408 with a long foul ball down the right-field line, walked to load the bases.

But all the Dodgers could get was one run when Nixon grounded out to second.

Reed added his second homer in the ninth.

“Two home runs and a wild pitch gave them three runs,” Russell said. “And you’d like to make them earn it. You have to get the big hit if you’re going to stay in a pennant race. It’s a tough loss, but you have to forget about it.”

What’s hard to forget is that time is quickly running out for the Dodgers.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

THE WEST / Stretch Drive

STANDINGS

*--*

TEAM W L GB GIANTS 85 69 -- DODGERS 84 70 1

*--*

MAGIC NUMBER

GIANTS: 8

THE FINAL 9

Dodgers vs. Rockies, SEPT. 19

Dodgers vs. Rockies, SEPT. 20