Bonilla to Serve as Pinch-Hitter, Backup at Third

The Bobby Bonilla experiment in left field is over, ending both his frustration and that of the Dodgers.

Manager Glenn Hoffman informed Bonilla before Thursday’s game that he will be a pinch-hitter for now while working his way back to limited duty at third base behind rookie Adrian Beltre.

Matt Luke, who bats from the left side, and Trenidad Hubbard, who bats from the right, will be platooned in left field.

Something had to be done. Hampered by his slow recovery from the torn Achilles’ tendon he suffered last season, which caused him to miss spring training, Bonilla has struggled in left field.

In the past few days alone, he let a ball go through his legs, failed to make a throw on a runner coming home and was unable to make an effort on a shallow fly ball.

“I’m coming off some surgeries,” Bonilla said. “I will do whatever I can until I’m 100 percent. All I’m worried about is getting to the dish four times [a game].

“Is it [the change] going to make me happier? It’s not about making me happier. . . . The Dodgers have to do what is best for the Dodgers.”

Hoffman said he was grateful that Bonilla, who will make a total of $11.8 million over the next two seasons, tried to play left because the Dodgers wanted Beltre, who was brought up from the double-A level, in the lineup.

“He couldn’t move,” Hoffman said of Bonilla, “but we appreciate what he did going out there. It was not an easy situation.”

The 35-year-old Bonilla doesn’t feel as if the injury will cut short his career.

“Over the course of time, I should be fine,” he said. “I spent the last off-season in a cast. This next off-season should be exciting in terms of working out. I’m looking forward to it, but it would be nice if it came after October.”

Bonilla’s struggles in the outfield drew boos from the Dodger Stadium crowds, and he aggravated the situation by advising the fans they were only poor imitations of the fans in New York when it comes to heaping verbal abuse on the players.

Did he think the fans would have been kinder had they known about his physical problems?

“They do know,” he said. “It’s been written more than enough. But people have a tendency to forget at 7:30.”

*

After the game, the Dodgers put pitcher Darren Hall on the 15-day disabled list because of a continuing problem with his right rotator cuff.

Right-hander Sean Maloney was recalled from triple-A Albuquerque. This will be Maloney’s second tour of duty with the Dodgers. He struck out three batters in two innings in his only previous appearance with the big league club. That was on July 29 at Philadelphia, but Maloney was optioned back to Albuquerque two days later when the Dodgers acquired Carlos Perez and Mark Grudzielanek in a seven-player trade with the Montreal Expos.

*

Gary Sheffield’s single in the eighth snapped a 0-for-18 drought.

ON DECK

* Opponent--Atlanta Braves, three games.

* Site--Dodger Stadium.

* Tonight--7.

* TV--Channel 5 tonight, Channel 11 Saturday.

* Radio--AM 1150, KWKW (1330, Spanish).

* Records--Dodgers 61-60, Braves 80-41.

* 1997 record vs. Braves--0-3.

* Tickets--(213) 224-1568.

TONIGHT

DODGERS’

DAVE MLICKI

(6-5, 4.94 ERA)

vs.

BRAVES’

KEVIN MILLWOOD

(13-6, 4.51 ERA)

* Update--Nobody has to tell the Dodgers how dominating the Braves have been in the ‘90s. The Dodgers have won their season series against Atlanta only once in the last six years. The Dodgers have won the their home series against the Braves only once in the last five seasons. Hall of Famer Don Sutton will have his Dodger uniform retired in a pregame ceremony tonight.

* Saturday, 1 p.m.--Chan Ho Park (10-6, 3.90) vs. John Smoltz (10-2, 3.36).

* Sunday, 5 p.m.--Darren Dreifort (6-11, 3.89) vs. Denny Neagle (11-10, 3.68)