BASEBALL / DAILY REPORT : DODGERS : Starting Pitching Has Been a Relief

The Dodgers have received solid--and lengthy--performances by all three starters in the series against San Francisco, which has helped a well-used bullpen.

“Ramon (Martinez) got us into the ninth inning Thursday night and that’s what we needed,” Manager Tom Lasorda said. “Kevin (Gross) pitched a great game today, nine innings, and that’s what we needed. And (Pedro) Astacio pitched one hell of a game the other night.”

Orel Hershiser, who faces Salomon Torres tonight, has been the most consistent on the staff, with a 2-0 record and a 2.75 earned-run average. Tom Candiotti (3-1, 3.92) has also pitched well.

“You live and die as a staff, but it was nice to see the way Ramon threw,” Candiotti said. “That was Ramon’s first win, and that’s a real big thing, getting that is like taking a load off your back. And Pedro’s curveball is very explosive now. Before it used to be a rolling curve, but he’s learning how to pitch and is throwing off-speed stuff when he needs to.”

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Jose Offerman, the target of criticism the last two seasons, is receiving praise from his teammates for his defensive play. In the seventh inning Saturday, Offerman combined with Delino DeShields to turn a double play, foiling the Giants’ last scoring opportunity. Dodger pitchers combined to retire the next nine batters.

“He’s comfortable and relaxed and playing well,” Gross said. “That double play was key.”

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Raul Mondesi’s bruised left heel hurt before Saturday’s game, but Gross told him he had to play. “He said to me, ‘My heel really hurts today, do you want me to play?’ ” Gross said. “I said, ‘Yes, I’m pitching and I want you to play.’ ”

Mondesi, in his rookie season, had X-rays taken of his heel after Friday night’s game, and they were negative. “If I had played five years already, maybe it would be all right, but not now, I have to play with it,” he said.

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The stomach virus that made Roger McDowell unable to pitch in Wednesday’s game at Montreal was food poisoning, and he has lost 10 pounds since then. McDowell, who is still weak, pitched a scoreless eighth inning Friday night, but felt dizzy when he finished. . . . Manager Dusty Baker said Barry Bonds will probably start in today’s game.