He’s the Quicker Picker Upper

Hot dog vendors at stadiums all over America must have loved the old Pedro Astacio, because the Dodger starter worked at the speed of a snail.

Advised to speed up his delivery after losing a career-worst seven games, Astacio is flourishing.

Astacio won his second consecutive game, giving up two runs on seven hits in 6 1/3 innings as the Dodgers defeated the San Diego Padres, 5-2, Friday night before 47,518 at Qualcomm Stadium.

“He sped up his delivery and it’s made him more effective,” Dodger Manager Bill Russell said. “That’s what he went back to from last year.”

The Dodgers have won four consecutive games to match their longest streak of the season.

“We’d like to finish off strong before the [All-Star] break and make up some games,” said shortstop Greg Gagne, who had two hits and two key runs batted in. “Last year we kind of scuffled at the beginning of the year and played well after the break.”

Astacio (5-7), who gave up three runs on six hits in Sunday’s 10-4 victory over the Padres, registered seven strikeouts to run his record to 5-0 in eight starts against San Diego.

“His rhythm has picked up and he’s made some adjustments in his delivery,” pitching coach Dave Wallace said. “He was over-thinking and trying to do too much. Sometimes it’s paralysis by analysis.”

Astacio didn’t look as if he’d survive the first inning, walking the bases loaded twice. But he got out of the jam, giving up only one run on two hits and Wally Joyner’s sacrifice fly.

Russell pulled Astacio for reliever Scott Radinsky after he gave up a one-out single to Quilvio Veras in the seventh. Radinsky, who has given up two runs on seven hits over 10 2/3 innings in his last 13 appearances, got Tony Gwynn to fly out center and Steve Finley to pop out to right.

Closer Todd Worrell gave up a ninth-inning one-out single to Rickey Henderson, who stole second. But Worrell struck out Veras and got Gwynn to fly out to the warning track in left to register his 19th save.

Infielder Tripp Cromer, starting his third consecutive game at second base in place of injured Wilton Guerrero, doubled in two runs with one out in the second inning to give the Dodgers a 2-1 lead.

Cromer, who is batting .314 with seven RBIs in six starts since he was called up from Albuquerque on June 17, lined a shot down the left-field line to drive in Todd Zeile and Billy Ashley.

The Padres may have underestimated Cromer, who had two hits in four at-bats, deciding to pitch to him with first base open and Astacio on deck.

“He’s an awesome defensive player,” said Zeile, who played with Cromer for two years with the St. Louis Cardinals. ‘He’s usually brought in in defensive situations. But he’s been great in the clutch for us. I think teams tend to underestimate him, thinking he’s a defensive guy.”

Astacio, who has given up a home run in eight of his last 11 starts after not allowing a home run in his first seven games, gave up a third-inning leadoff home run to Veras to tie the score, 2-2.

The Dodgers regained the lead in the fifth when Eric Karros got an RBI by beating a throw to first for a possible double play.

Gagne, batting second in place of Guerrero, made it 5-2 in the sixth with his bases-loaded, two-out double.