BASEBALL DAILY REPORT : DODGERS : Recovering Davis Faces Live Pitching

Eric Davis has set next week in San Diego as the target date for his return to the lineup after taking 25 minutes of live batting practice Tuesday, the first time he has faced live pitching since May 23.

“I didn’t turn it loose, but I got good extension and I got the kinks out,” said Davis, who is recovering from a separated shoulder. “Like I said before, don’t count me out of this road trip.”

Davis will not be able to taking batting practice in either of the next two days, because the U.S. Olympic team has the field today and there is a Dodger day off Thursday.

But he will continue his live work this weekend in Houston and says three more good days could be enough to return him to the lineup June 22.

“Batting practice is the last thing I need, and if it keeps feeling this good, I will be in good shape,” Davis said.

Teammates who watched him Tuesday agreed that he is close.

“He looked great, like he was having no problems at all,” Dave Hansen said.

The Dodger trainers also were pleased.

“He didn’t look like he was favoring the shoulder,” assistant trainer Charlie Strasser said. “Now we’ll have to see how it feels.”

Manager Tom Lasorda was taking an exercise walk through the low-income area around Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium before Tuesday’s game when he was surrounded by youths chanting that they wanted the Braves to sweep the Dodgers. Witnesses said Lasorda stopped and began sermonizing. “I told them, ‘How can you pull against the Dodgers?’ ” Lasorda said. “I told them, ‘Have you already forgotten that the Dodgers were the ones who first gave Jackie Robinson an opportunity? Have you forgotten about Roy Campanella?” Witnesses said that by the time his sermon was finished, the youths were cheering.

Henry Rodriguez is finally showing the stuff that could make him the Dodgers’ left fielder of the future if Davis does not return. Rodriguez was six for 10 with two home runs and five runs batted in for triple-A Albuquerque in two games earlier his week. Rodriguez, playing most of his games at first base, leads the Dukes with nine home runs and 45 RBIs in 64 games. Two seasons ago, he led all double-A hitters in home runs (28) and RBIs (109) before struggling with the jump to triple-A last year.