Dodgers Get the Offense Revved Up

The Dodgers haven’t produced offensively as expected to this point, stranding runners and stirring concern in another slow start.

Their performance in a 10-4 victory over the Brewers Thursday afternoon was closer to what they’ve anticipated.

The Dodgers had their highest run total in a game this season before a crowd of 11,441 at County Stadium. They had 13 hits against four overmatched Brewer pitchers and swept the three-game series.

They scored six runs through the first three innings, providing an early cushion for starter Ismael Valdes (3-0). Valdes made some mistakes but pitched seven solid innings, and the Dodger bullpen continued its fine work on the trip that continues in Philadelphia today.

The Dodgers moved two games above .500 (12-10), starting the nine-game trip in a best-case scenario. They also evened their road record at 5-5 after having lost their first two series away from Dodger Stadium.

That’s something to build on, the Dodgers figure.

“We got it going today,” Manager Davey Johnson said. “This was good because everybody swung the bats real well and we got out early.”

The players agreed.

“It was important for us to come out the way we did, to prove we can have a game like this,” said left fielder Gary Sheffield, who walked three times, scored twice and drove in a run against his former team. “We had to get out of that drought we were in. We had to break out of that rut. We had to prove we can win those three-game and four-game series on the road.

“Our pitching staff is our anchor, but the offense needs to bail them out sometimes too. With the way the last two games went, it was good to show we can win 10-4 games, not only 3-2 games.”

Sheffield was referring to the scores of the Dodgers’ first two victories in the series. In both games, pitching carried the Dodgers.

Offense was the story in the finale, and many players had big games.

“What we did today, that’s what this team is capable of doing when we’re all in sync,” said leadoff batter Eric Young, continuing his exceptional play by going two for four with three runs. “It’s just good to see the guys behind me starting to swing the bats well.”

The Dodgers began the game batting .198 with runners in scoring position--last in the National League. They dropped to .181 with two out.

But they were six for 16 with runners at second or third Thursday. Moreover, the batter in the second spot of the batting order, typically a problem for the Dodgers, provided a boost.

The players who have batted behind Young had a .202 combined average before the game.

Johnson moved shortstop Mark Grudzielanek, who batted seventh Wednesday, back into the second spot. Grudzielanek responded by going three for five with two runs and one batted in.

“It’s just a matter of guys jelling and having fun,” Grudzielanek said. “With the team we have, there’s no doubt we can put up a bunch of runs in a hurry. Other teams know we can come back in the blink of an eye, that’s why they’re always on their toes against us.”

Adrian Beltre returned to the lineup after sitting out Wednesday’s victory because of a bruised right knee. The young third baseman had a game-high four hits with two runs batted in.

Johnson gave center fielder Devon White the day off, starting Todd Hollandsworth for the first time this season. Hollandsworth had two hits and three RBIs. And first baseman Eric Karros, batting cleanup again, had a two-run double in the Dodgers’ four-run third.

“These were three nice wins, especially considering we’ve really had to scratch for runs,” Karros said. “To come in here the way we did, this was a good way to start the road trip.”