Russell, Valdes Say Incident Resolved

Dodger pitcher Ismael Valdes met with Manager Bill Russell Friday after an incident between the two in Thursday night’s 5-4 loss to the San Francisco Giants.

Valdes was shoved out of the dugout and into the tunnel that leads to the clubhouse by Russell after he threw his batting helmet and glove when he was lifted for a pinch hitter in the fifth inning.

“Everything is fine,” Valdes said. “Nothing bad happened last night. I have no problems at all. It’s like a new life.”

Valdes (3-7), who had a shoving match with Eric Karros earlier this season, said he was frustrated because he hasn’t pitched well this season.

“It’s frustrating when you’re not getting the job done,” he said. “I wasn’t getting the job done and I put the team in danger. It shouldn’t happen.”

Russell said the matter has been resolved.

“There are some things you have to do right on the spot,” he said. “Normally a manager likes to do it behind closed doors and not in front of everybody because there’s a big audience. But unfortunately it needed to be addressed right then. We’ve talked and cleared the air. Everything has been taken care of.”

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Russell said he may use Mike Piazza or Billy Ashley as the designated hitter when the Dodgers begin interleague play against the Oakland Athletics next Thursday at Oakland.

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TONIGHT’S GAME

DODGERS’ HIDEO NOMO (5-5, 3.54 ERA) vs. CARDINALS’ DANNY JACKSON (1-1, 7.36 ERA)

Dodger Stadium--7 p.m.

Radio--KABC (790), KWKW (1330).

* Update--Nomo, tied for third in the National League with 85 strikeouts, has struck out seven or more batters in four of his last five starts and in eight of his 12 starts. He has given up only one home run in his last six starts. Jackson is 7-9 with a 3.92 earned-run average in 23 appearances against the Dodgers. He sat out the first seven weeks of the season because of pulled muscles in his right side. Dodger catcher Mike Piazza is hitless in his last two games and his batting average has fallen from .339 to 326. The Dodgers’ three errors in Thursday night’s game ended a season-high streak of four consecutive games without an error. The Dodgers are tied with the Pittsburgh Pirates for the fourth fewest errors (42) in the NL.