DODGERS BOMB AT 3COM; GIANTS HIT 2 SLAMS TO WIN BY 14 RUNS : SAN FRAN. 18, DODGERS 4.

Byline: Matt McHale Daily News Staff Writer

The Dodgers awoke Saturday with nothing to play for, and it showed.

Just over 12 hours after they were eliminated from the National League wild-card race, the Dodgers played their worst game in 31 years, an 18-4 pounding by the San Francisco Giants that was so grim, reliever Mark Guthrie threw up his arms at one point as if to say, ``Will someone come get me?''

No one was that lucky. Not Dodgers starter Ismael Valdes, who threw 86 pitches in less than three innings and allowed nine hits and seven runs. Not rookie Mike Judd, who had a chance to open some eyes and unfortunately did by giving up six more runs.

``I guess you could say there was a letdown after yesterday, but this has just been a frustrating year overall,'' shortstop Mark Grudzielanek said. ``But you still have to go out and show that you are a Dodger. There still are games left in the season.''

Unless you were among the crowd of 41,671 at 3Com Park or a Giants player clinging to some playoff hopes, that is not a good thought.

San Francisco, which pulled within three games of the wild-card lead, hit two grand slams - by Bill Mueller in the third and Jeff Kent in the fourth - for the first time in one game since 1970.

The Giants, who finished with 19 hits from 13 different players, added home runs by Brian Johnson and Doug Mirabelli - the first of his 10-game major-league career.

Through it all, the Giants' top player, Barry Bonds, who won Friday's game with a home run, went just 1 for 2, but he did steal a base with a seven-run lead that led to Judd hitting Kent with a pitch.

Nothing ever came of the incident. The Dodgers did not have the energy. It wasn't like last season when they lost 14-0 to Atlanta and came back to win their next four games. It was more like like May 20, 1967 when the Chicago Cubs scored 20 runs against the Dodgers. That was the first year after Hall of Fame pitcher Sandy Koufax retired, and like this season, the Dodgers weren't going anywhere.

But Kevin Malone, the new general manager who took his staff to dinner after the game, was trying not to dwell on the obvious.

``These kinds of games happen to every team,'' he said. ``Our goal is to make sure they don't continue happening next year.''

Valdes (10-10) wasn't sharp in his previous start but showed a lot of guts in eight innings last Sunday to beat NL West champion San Diego.

In this game, he scuffled from the first inning even though the Giants didn't score until the third. He stranded five runners in the first two innings and even retired Bonds to open the third.

But doubles by Kent and J.T. Snow began the avalanche. Valdes got the second out but walked the seventh and eighth hitters, then allowed a single to Giants starter Russ Ortiz (3-4). He walked leadoff hitter Marvin Benard to load the

bases, then gave up the slam to Mueller.

When Bonds followed with a single, Valdes was replaced by Judd, the second of six Dodgers pitchers.

That's when Bonds, who earlier this month tried to steal a base with the Giants trailing 14-0, took off for second. Judd hit Kent on the left shoulder, but Ortiz did not retaliate.

Judd was one of the young pitchers former general manager Fred Claire protected in last November's expansion draft. He spent most of the year at Triple-A Albuquerque. Saturday, it seemed as if he spent the rest of the year trying to get out of the fourth inning.

Again the Giants batted around and again it was the bottom of the Giants order that got it started.

Ellis Burks, Johnson and Rich Aurilia, the Nos. 6-7-8 hitters, opened with singles to account for the Giants' eighth run. Two walks forced in another run and kept the bases loaded. Kent homered to left to make it 13-0.

For Kent, it was the seventh grand slam of his career. It also gave him 119 RBI in 128 games this season. He missed a month with a knee injury. In this series, Kent is 5 for 8 with four doubles, a home run and six RBI.

``Just one of those days,'' said new senior vice president Tom Lasorda, who was part of the dinner group with Malone. ``Just bad. Bad.''

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Photo

PHOTO In a forgettable day for the Dodgers, starter Ismael Valdes heads for the dugout after surrendering a grand slam to the Giants' Bill Mueller.

Eric Risberg/Associated Press