BASEBALL DAILY REPORT : DODGERS : Hit No. 2,000 Had Smith’s Stamp on It

Ozzie Smith’s fourth-inning triple Tuesday was like many of his previous 1,999 hits. It bounced off the ground and he ran like heck.

Smith, moving closer to ensuring a spot in baseball’s Hall of Fame, became the 159th player to get 2,000 hits when his fly ball bounced past the reach of right-fielder Todd Benzinger.

The Busch Stadium crowd gave Smith a standing ovation, which brought tears to his eyes.

After being told this winter that the Cardinals would not give him a contract extension because he is 37, Smith said the achievement was special.

“Considering this is probably my last year in St. Louis--if they don’t want me at 37, they aren’t going to want me at 38--then I want to dedicate this season to our fans,” Smith said.

Smith, who had a .258 career average before the season, has a .278 average in the last five seasons. But he has won a record 12 consecutive Gold Gloves and will always be known for defense.

“I did not want to leave the game being known as a one-dimensional player,” Smith said. “Maybe tonight will change that.”

Jose Offerman sat out his second start of the season with tendinitis in his right shoulder. He will not play again until Friday at Chicago, missing one more game. “It’s not something he can’t play with, but we want to get ahead of it,” therapist Pat Screnar said. Offerman told team officials that he might have slept wrong on his shoulder. . . . Offerman was given advice before Tuesday’s game by Ozzie Smith. “I know all about tough times as a young player--I went through quite a few in San Diego,” Smith said. . . . Eric Davis, whose right arm is still in a sling, will have his shoulder examined today and could meet the team in Chicago Friday to begin his rehabilitation with trainers. . . . Darryl Strawberry will have his back examined today and could begin rehabilitation then, although he will not leave Los Angeles. . . . Juan Samuel will have his splinted finger examined Friday. . . . Tom Lasorda phoned KMOX radio 90 minutes after Monday night’s game and spent five minutes publicly scolding talk-show host Ron Jacober after a caller second-guessed his decision to walk Ozzie Smith to pitch to Felix Jose, who got the winning hit in the Cardinals’ 6-5 victory. . . . Omar Olivares, Tuesday’s starter, left the game after two innings, trailing, 4-0, because of a recurrence of a right groin injury.