Dodgers Don’t Seal Any Deal

In the days, hours and minutes leading to Sunday’s 1 p.m. non-waiver trading deadline, the San Francisco Giants “strengthened” themselves for the stretch run in the National League West by acquiring Randy Winn.

The San Diego Padres got pitcher Chan Ho Park and the Arizona Diamondbacks stayed pat.

The Dodgers, who earlier had promoted pitcher Jonathan Broxton and catcher Dioner Navarro from the minor leagues, activated Jose Valentin, who was batting .194 before he was injured, from the disabled list and put Jayson Werth on the DL because of a sore left knee.

That’s it. Fans wondering if the Dodgers dropped the ball by not making a deal will have another two-plus months to ponder what it all means. But there is no doubt the Dodgers failed to take advantage of a chance to gain ground in the National League West on Sunday at Dodger Stadium.

The Dodgers fell to the St. Louis Cardinals, 7-5, in 11 innings after having the bases loaded with one out in the ninth. The loss came on a day when the Dodgers (47-58) could have moved within three games of first place. Instead, they remained four games behind the Diamondbacks and Padres, who are in a virtual tie atop the West.

The Cardinals (66-38) improved upon their NL-best record after Jim Edmonds hit a one-out, two-run home run against left-handed reliever Wilson Alvarez on a full count in the 11th.

The homer to left-center field, which preceded a fight in the field-level seats behind the plate, put an exclamation point on the exasperation felt by the Dodgers. They went down in order in the 11th -- including a strikeout by pitcher Jeff Weaver in a pinch-hitting appearance -- against closer Jason Isringhausen.

“It’s a tough game to lose,” Manager Jim Tracy said. “Especially as hard as we played.”

With the top of the lineup batting in the ninth, Cesar Izturis bunted his way on before Oscar Robles drew a walk.

No. 3 hitter Milton Bradley was given the bunt sign and he complied, putting runners at second and third with one out and cleanup hitter Jeff Kent coming to the plate.

As expected, reliever Cal Eldred intentionally walked Kent to load the bases. The move worked for St. Louis when Olmedo Saenz, a contact hitter batting .345 with runners in scoring position, grounded into an inning-ending double play.

“That’s what you want, to be able to put the other team away,” Saenz said. “He threw me a fastball but it was right on my hands and I wasn’t able to elevate the baseball. No excuses.

“The bottom line is you’ve got to execute in that situation. I take all the heat, all the heat in the game. I let the team down.”

Tracy defended his decision to bunt and, essentially, take the bat out of the hands of his third and fourth hitters.

“Look at the situation that developed there,” Tracy said. “You know Jeff Kent is going to be walked [regardless] ... what if [Bradley] hits a ground-ball double play? It’s the same thing.

“With Olmedo Saenz and Jose Valentin coming up, with those two professional guys coming to the plate, you take your chances.”

Valentin, wearing a large brace on the right knee he sprained May 3, started in left field and made a basket catch on the warning track and was two for five at the plate.

Said Bradley: “No outs, you have runners at first and second and the big bats coming up, it was the right thing to do.

“I don’t think I would have hit into a double play. I would have hit it or struck out.”

The Dodgers tied the score, 5-5, in the eighth on Ricky Ledee’s two-out, three-run home run against reliever Ray King. It was Ledee’s fourth homer.

After Yhency Brazoban pitched two scoreless innings, the Dodgers turned to Alvarez, who had been on the disabled list because of a sore left shoulder from May 31 to July 19.

“It was a fastball, the same pitch I got him out with [Saturday],” Alvarez said. “He got me with my best pitch.”

Still, Alvarez acknowledged that his shoulder is not 100% and if he had to undergo surgery again, he would consider retiring first.

The Dodgers, though, insist they are not about to retire on the season. Not when they’re within four games of first place.

“I still believe we have a team good enough to make the playoffs,” Kent said.

So, apparently, do Dodger officials.