Karros Puts Dodgers Back in First Place

The Colorado Rockies found out for themselves Monday night why first baseman Eric Karros is one of the finest clutch hitters in the game.

They also found out what it’s like sitting in second place in the National League West with only six days remaining.

The Dodgers defeated the Rockies, 4-3, in front of a boisterous paid crowd of 41,984 at Dodger Stadium in the opening game of their crucial three-game series, returning alone to first place for the first time since Sept. 5.

And if you listen to the Dodgers, it’s a position they won’t be vacating.

The Dodgers have now won 14 of their last 20 games, moving half a game ahead of the Rockies with only five games remaining. These two teams have not been separated by more than two games since Aug. 8.

“We’re excited, but we’re trying to keep it in control,” said Karros, whose two-run homer in the sixth inning provided the game-winner. “It meant a lot more to us than it did to the Rockies. We were the ones down. We’re chasing them. We lose that game, and we’re two down in the loss column.

“This series is not going to decide [the National League West] but it will have an impact on it.”

Ramon Martinez, who has not lost to a team other than the Rockies since June 27, pitched brilliantly but still found himself trailing in the sixth inning. An error by Tim Wallach set up one run in the fourth inning, a wild pitch scored a run in the fifth and a solo homer by Dante Bichette gave the Rockies a 3-2 lead.

“He’s out to prove he can hit on the coast and can hit on the road,” Colorado Manager Don Baylor said. “He’s been the victim of a lot of Bichette-bashing the last couple of months. He should be having the time of his life, and I think he is team-wise, but on a personal level, there have been a lot of unfair things written.”

The Rockies’ euphoria didn’t last an inning.

Mike Piazza led off the sixth with a routine ground ball to shortstop Walt Weiss. Weiss reached for the ball, it skipped, caromed off his chest, and bounced away for his third error of the game. It’s the most errors Weiss has had in a game in his career, and incredibly, five of his 15 errors this season are against the Dodgers.

Colorado pitcher Bill Swift, realizing he had to pitch carefully, fell behind 2-and-0 to Karros. The next pitch was a slider. It landed in the center-field seats for a two-run homer, Karros’ career-high 31st homer of the season.

“I’ve had success early on in so-called pressure situations,” Karros said, “and confidence breeds success.”

Said Dodger Manager Tom Lasorda: “His contributions to this team have been unbelievable. Somebody might have better numbers, but that guy and Mike [Piazza] have got to be regarded in the MVP category.”

Martinez (17-7), who yielded seven hits and three runs (two earned) in eight innings, never gave Weiss a chance for redemption. He shut down the Rockies through the eighth, and Todd Worrell closed the game in the ninth for his 31st save.

The Dodgers were left trying to calm themselves while Weiss and the Rockies were trying to explain his three errors.

He began the game with 12 all season.

But there was Weiss dropping a throw in the dirt from Swift in the first that led to an unearned run.

He kicked away Chad Fonville’s ground ball in the third inning.

And in the sixth, he made the biggest gaffe of all.

“He shouldn’t have had any errors,” Swift said. “I couldn’t get anything on my throw. And the others were routine ground balls that took bad hops.

“It’s a bad infield. Now, I know why those guys lead the league in errors. It’s a joke.”

* SABERHAGEN TAKES HIS TURN: Colorado starter Bret Saberhagen, who hasn’t pitched since Sept. 16, follows Bill Swift to the mound. C4

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National League Playoff Race

The standings and remaining schedule for the National League West:

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W L Pct. GB Dodgers 75 64 .540 -- Colorado 74 64 .536 1/2 San Diego 67 72 .482 8 San Francisco 65 73 .471 9 1/2

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Today and Wednesday: Colorado at Dodgers, San Diego at San Francisco

Thursday through Sunday: San Francisco at Colorado

Friday through Sunday: Dodgers at San Diego