Dodgers Are Thrown Off-Track

Being wasteful is not a good thing, and it could be especially damaging to a team trying to bring back playoff baseball to Chavez Ravine.

The Dodgers squandered a chance to improve their standing in the National League wild-card race Saturday night in a 4-0 loss to the lowly New York Mets at Dodger Stadium.

On a night the Dodgers could have pulled to within two games of Philadelphia in the crowded wild-card race, they were shut out for the 10th time this season.

A crowd of 44,449 watched starter Steve Trachsel (13-7) baffle the Dodgers for 7 1/3 innings, providing the foundation for the Mets’ eighth victory in 11 games.

“He kept on us all game,” Jolbert Cabrera said of Trachsel. “His split-fingered [pitch] was working, and he was hitting both corners with his fastball. We couldn’t come up with any offense.”

David Weathers provided clutch relief in the eighth, entering in a two-on, one-out jam. Weathers struck out pinch-hitter Mike Kinkade and, after walking Dave Roberts to load the bases, fanned Paul Lo Duca to put down the rally.

Mike Stanton pitched the ninth to help the Mets (56-72) end the Dodgers’ winning streak at three games. Andy Ashby (3-10) had another rough start for the Dodgers.

The Mets got their 11 hits against Ashby. They provided all the run support Trachsel and the bullpen would need in the first, taking a 2-0 lead on Mike Piazza’s sacrifice fly and Jason Phillips’ run-scoring single.

The Dodgers (67-61) also took a step back in the NL West. After moving into second place in the division Friday, they dropped to third again -- 11 games behind the first-place San Francisco Giants. They are a half-game behind Arizona.

Even the return of right fielder Shawn Green, who missed two games because of a stiff neck, and first baseman Fred McGriff, starting for the first time since July 3, didn’t provide a boost to the Dodger offense.

The Dodgers had only six hits after getting five and six, respectively, in their previous two games. Green was one for four and McGriff, a career .435 hitter against Trachsel, went hitless in four at-bats.

That’s how the Dodgers plan to enter the postseason party?

“We pay attention to what’s going on,” said Green, alluding to the Dodgers’ scoreboard watching. “It would have been nice to gain a game.”

Trachsel did his part to prevent it from happening.

The right-hander methodically retired the Dodgers in order in the first, third, fourth and sixth. Through seven innings, he had faced only two batters over the minimum.

“This is as good a game as I’ve had,” said Trachsel, who has victories in his last four starts, including a one-hit shutout of the Colorado Rockies on Monday. “I’m feeling good, and I’m locating [pitches] pretty good.

“I had three pitches working, and the curve was really good. I’m really happy about the location on my fastball, because it sets up everything else I throw.”

The Dodgers threatened only in the eighth.

Alex Cora singled with one out and went to third on pinch-hitter Robin Ventura’s single through the hole on the right side. Trachsel had done enough in a 113-pitch, 74-strike outing, so Met Manager Art Howe went to Weathers.

Weathers struck out Kinkade for the second out, but walked Roberts. The crowd got into it as Weathers fell behind, 2-and-0, against Lo Duca.

With the count 2-and-2, home-plate umpire Sam Holbrook called strike three, igniting an animated protest from Lo Duca.

The Dodgers had left the bases loaded, and Weathers received applause from his teammates, Trachsel in particular.

“I threw Lo Duca a slider,” Weathers said. “It’s a tough count to throw that pitch, but I can’t throw him a fastball and let him knock in a couple of runs. It was a big out.”

Ashby got banged around in six innings. He gave up 11 hits and four runs, and it could have been worse. Jose Reyes’ leadoff homer in the fifth (his third) gave the Mets a 4-0 lead.

“This game is not something we need to dwell on for a long time,” Dodger Manager Jim Tracy said. “We just have to move on.”