ATLANTA vs. DODGERS

SCHEDULE

* Wednesday--Atlanta (John Smoltz 24-8) at Dodgers (Ramon Martinez 15-6), 1 p.m., ESPN.

* Thursday--Atlanta (Greg Maddux 15-11) at Dodgers (Ismael Valdes 15-7), 5 p.m., Channel 11.

* Saturday--Dodgers (Hideo Nomo 16-11) at Atlanta (Tom Glavine 15-10), 4 p.m., Channel 11.

* Sunday--(If necessary) Dodgers at Atlanta, 10 a.m., ESPN.

* Monday--(If necessary) Dodgers at Atlanta, 4 p.m., Channel 11.

RECORDS

Atlanta 96-66; Dodgers 90-72.

HEAD TO HEAD

Dodgers won season series, 7-5.

DODGERS AT A GLANCE

STARTING LINEUP

Pos: CF

Player: Wayne Kirby

Avg: .271

*

Pos: LF

Player: Todd Hollandsworth

Avg: .291

*

Pos: C

Player: Mike Piazza

Avg: .336

*

Pos: 1B

Player: Eric Karros

Avg: .260

*

Pos: RF

Player: Raul Mondesi

Avg: .297

*

Pos: 3B

Player: Tim Wallach

Avg: .228

*

Pos: 2B

Player: Delino DeShields

Avg: .224

*

Pos: SS

Player: Greg Gagne

Avg: .255

*

Pos: P

Player: Ramon Martinez

* Analysis: The Dodgers, who were so full of confidence a week ago with their best record during a pennant stretch since moving to Los Angeles, inexplicably collapsed. They lost four consecutive games, and were swept at home by the San Diego Padres, which cost them the NL West. Most discouraging, the Dodgers suddenly appear tired. Piazza, Hollandsworth, Mondesi and Wallach combined to bat only .170 (eight for 47) in the Padre series, striking out 15 times with only two RBIs. The Dodgers must rely on their pitching once again, particularly Martinez. Martinez was hit hard in last year’s playoff series, yielding 10 hits and seven earned runs in 4 1/3 innings in Game 1 against Cincinnati, and the Dodgers were swept. They can ill afford Martinez, Valdes or Nomo to have poor outings.

* Key reserves: Outfielders Chad Curtis, Dave Clark and Billy Ashley. Third baseman Dave Hansen.

* Team batting: .252

* Team pitching: 3.46

BRAVES AT A GLANCE

STARTING LINEUP

Pos: CF

Player: Marquis Grissom

Avg: .308

*

Pos: 3B

Player: Terry Pendleton

Avg: .238

*

Pos: SS

Player: Chipper Jones

Avg: .309

*

Pos: 1B

Player: Fred McGriff

Avg: .295

*

Pos: LF

Player: Ryan Klesko

Avg: .282

*

Pos: C

Player: Javier Lopez

Avg: .282

*

Pos: RF

Player: Jermaine Dye

Avg: .281

*

Pos: 2B

Player: Mark Lemke

Avg: .255

*

Pos: P

Player: John Smoltz

* Analysis: This is old news to the Braves, who have been to five consecutive playoffs. Yet, instead of being lackadaisical, they once again ran away from the NL East, even with the loss of right fielder David Justice. The Braves are a much better offensive team than a year ago, batting .270 with 193 homers, compared to .250 a year ago. It was the most homers by an Atlanta team since 1973 when they had a guy named Aaron playing for them. The Braves’ weakness is that they have shown they are vulnerable. They lost top left-handed setup man Pedro Boron for the season, starter Steve Avery has fallen apart--yielding 12 earned runs in two-thirds of an inning in his last two outings--and the defense committed an alarming 130 errors.

* Key reserves: Shortstop Jeff Blauser, outfielders Dwight Smith and Luis Polonia and catcher Eddie Perez.

* Team batting: .270

* Team pitching: 3.52

KEY TO THE SERIES

The key to the Dodgers’ hopes is Game 1. They must win Game 1 or the series could be over in a hurry. If they lose, not only could their confidence be shattered, but they then would have the unenviable task of having to defeat the Braves in three of the next four games, with three scheduled in Atlanta. The trouble is that Smoltz, the Braves’ starter in Game 1, has terrorized the Dodger lineup. He is 3-1 with a 1.24 ERA in his last five starts against the Dodgers, giving up only 31 hits in 36 1/3 innings, striking out 48. If Smoltz is on this series, particularly considering he will pitch Games 1 and 4, the Dodgers are in trouble. Real trouble.