BASEBALL DAILY REPORT : Karros Makes Braves Pay

Perhaps he’ll never command the respect of Mike Piazza, but as Atlanta Brave Manager Bobby Cox discovered Saturday, first baseman Eric Karros still can be dangerous.

Karros, blamed as much as anyone for the Dodgers’ hitting woes this season, hit a two-run, bases-loaded double to break open Saturday’s 6-2 victory over the Braves.

Karros, batting only .183 on May 12 and buried in a 0-for-27 slump, has caught fire. He’s batting .309 since ending his slump, with seven homers and 20 RBIs the last 29 games.

“He looks like the Karros of last year,” said Manager Tom Lasorda, remembering Karros’ 32 homers and 105 RBIs in the strike-shortened season.

Karros, who is now batting .243, said he was surprised when Cox intentionally walked Piazza to load the bases for him in the third inning. Piazza, after all, had not played in three days because of a sore knee. Karros made him pay by slamming a double off the center-field wall.

“I didn’t think they were going to walk him that early in the game,” Karros said. “He hadn’t played in three or four days. Obviously, what they’re saying is, they’d rather face me than Mike. I’m just glad I came through.”

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Infielder Mike Busch went on the 15-day disabled list because of an inflamed nerve in his right elbow and will be replaced by left-handed first baseman Oreste Marrero, whose contract was purchased from triple-A Albuquerque. Marrero, 26, who was batting .298 with seven homers and 51 RBIs, last played in the major leagues in 1993 with the Montreal Expos.

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Hall of Fame broadcaster Ernie Harwell, who called the Dodgers’ last triple play in 1949 as a member of the Brooklyn broadcasting team, was calling Saturday’s game for CBS radio.

“To be honest, I don’t remember it,” Harwell said, “but I know I was there. I was broadcasting the Dodgers in ’47 and ‘48, so I had to be there. My claim to fame is that I was replaced by Vin Scully.”

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Reliever Mark Guthrie had only the second plate appearance of his seven-year career in the eighth inning, and grounded out to second.

“As far as I know, I’m the only one in this locker room who has never struck out in the major leagues,” Guthrie said, “and you won’t see it happen, either.”

Guthrie, who has yielded only one run in his last 23 2/3 innings, struck out Fred McGriff with two runners aboard in the eighth inning.

Guthrie opened the ninth, but with two outs and two runners on base, Todd Worrell closed out the game for his league-leading 19th save.

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Shortstop Greg Gagne, who has been out since May 17 because of a sprained left ankle, was cleared to begin a rehabilitation assignment today at triple-A Albuquerque. . . . The Dodgers’ tentative 1997 schedule calls for 16 games against the American League West, two-game road and home series with the Angels, Seattle Mariners, Oakland Athletics and Texas Rangers. . . . The Dodgers have signed 31 players from the June free-agent draft, including five picks from the first 10 rounds: Damian Rolls [first round], Josh Glassey [second], Jack Jones [sixth], Benjamin Simon [seventh] and Edwin Falcon [ninth]. . . . Center fielder Brett Butler celebrated his 39th birthday with a small party.