DODGERS FINDING MANY WAYS TO LOSE : SAN DIEGO 6, DODGERS 2.

Byline: Brian Dohn Staff Writer

It's to the point where you can reach into a bag and grab a reason du jour as to why the Dodgers lost.

Dismal starting pitching, a lack of clutch hitting, disinterest or the inability to manufacture runs have been used, so here's a less-investigated reason that does just fine: Too many times the Dodgers score, only for the opposition to counter with runs in the next half-inning.

As much as a lack of hitting and nonexistent intensity could be blamed for the Dodgers' 6-2 loss to San Diego at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday, so could starter Ismael Valdes for allowing four runs in the fifth inning.

The ever-pressing Dodgers provided a quasi-early lead with a solo homer by Gary Sheffield and an RBI single from Jose Vizcaino in the bottom of the fourth inning.

It lasted two outs.

The moment Valdes (5-7) had room to breathe, the Padres knocked the breath out of him. Eric Owens, starting again in the place of the injured Tony Gwynn, hit a homer to left to give the Padres a 3-2 lead. However, it came after Valdes walked No. 8 hitter Damian Jackson with one out and light-hitting Quilvio Veras with two outs.

``A couple of walks to the little guys killed (Valdes),'' Dodgers manager Davey Johnson said. ``Fastball middle in (to Owens). If you're looking to drive the ball, that's what you want. I got more upset about walking the little guys in front.''

Three pitches after Owens homered, Reggie Sanders did the same to give the Padres a 4-2 lead. They were the 18th and 19th homers hit off Valdes this season as he and Chan Ho Park battle for the dubious distinction of allowing the most on the staff. Valdes leads by two.

``It doesn't surprise me,'' Valdes said of the homers. ``I'm making bad pitches. It's frustrating . . . it's frustrating.''

Valdes hasn't been blessed with great run support lately, but he's done enough to lose while pitching moderately well. His last win came May 27, which pushed his record to 5-2. But he is on a career-high five-game losing streak in which he's allowed four earned runs just once, which happened to be Wednesday night. During that span his ERA is 3.63.

``This year, it's different,'' Valdes said. ``Things are not working out. It's one thing or another. I make bad pitches and cost us games. I don't know what to say. This is a tough year.''

The Padres have won five in a row. The Dodgers followed their two-game winning streak with two losses and counting.

And while the Dodgers (32-37) talked about being a few games behind the Arizona Diamondbacks in the loss column a few weeks ago despite playing poorly, the last-place Padres (30-38) can talk about being one game behind the Dodgers. If the Padres complete the three-game sweep tonight they will be tied in losses.

``This isn't getting to be a whole lot of fun here,'' Dodgers manager Davey Johnson said.

Offensively, it been brutal, right up to the Padres' Woody Williams (3-5) being the latest to stuff the Dodgers' supposed dangerous offense.

Until Todd Hollandsworth and Eric Karros led off the ninth with singles, the only hits the Dodgers got off Williams came in the fourth inning. Sheffield led off with his 15th homer of the season and Vizcaino had a bloop single to give the Dodgers a 2-0 lead.

Williams, who hadn't won since May 21, retired 13 of the next 14 batters, another reason why the Dodgers are 13th in the 16-team National League in runs scored.

``When you're out there pitching and you see their lineup, you know if you relax they're going to put a hurtin' on you,'' Williams said. ``We went through that. It takes one game and guys will be confident and go out and you think you can win. That's what happened with us.''

It leaves Johnson constantly shuffling the lineup to find answers that might not be around. Today's attempt will be to rest Adrian Beltre, who's 0 for 10 since moving to the second spot in the order, and start the left-handed hitting Dave Hansen at third.

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Photo

PHOTO San Diego's Damian Jackson steals second as Jose Vizcaino takes the late throw.

David Crane/Daily News