BASEBALL DAILY REPORT : DODGERS : Offerman Ends on Good Note

Jose Offerman’s spring in Florida ended with a good stop and a two-run single Wednesday, helping the Dodgers forget his seven errors in 12 previous games.

Offerman singled with the bases loaded in the fourth inning of an eventual 5-3 victory over the New York Yankees. He has a .262 average with six runs batted in 61 at-bats.

His fine defensive play came with runners on first and second and two out in the fifth. He went to his right to catch a ground ball by Bernie Williams and threw to Juan Samuel covering second for the inning-ending forceout.

“That was a very nice play,” Brett Butler said. “He’s had a good spring.”

Offerman, who made seven errors in 24 games, agreed.

“I am comfortable out there now, I feel happy for myself,” he said. “I felt good last year but had no chance to play. This year I am playing and feeling better. I am playing like I played before (in the minor leagues).”

The Dodgers are bringing pitcher Kip Gross and infielders Eric Karros and Dave Anderson to Los Angeles for the Freeway Series with the Angels, in case they need to put them on the opening-day roster.

Gross would make the team if Jay Howell, who hopes to pitch Friday and Sunday, is not ready. Howell, suffering from a sore shoulder, turned down an opportunity to pitch Wednesday, two days after his spring debut.

“We’ll probably wait until Sunday to make a decision,” Howell said.

Anderson would make the team if Mike Sharperson is not recovered from a hamstring strain. But Sharperson ran Wednesday and said: “I barely feel it. I’ll be fine.”

Karros, the Dodgers’ best hitter this spring with a .388 average, will make the team if Todd Benzinger has not recovered from a sore calf that has kept him out of games since March 18.

Ramon Martinez became the first Dodger to pitch seven innings, giving up five hits, striking out five and walking four. Martinez is 2-2 with a 3.98 earned-run average this spring. He has walked 20 and struck out 12. . . . The Dodgers will not work out today and will play again Friday in Anaheim in the first game of the Freeway Series, with Orel Hershiser facing the Angels’ Jim Abbott.