DODGERS / THE WEEK AHEAD

TUESDAY-THURSDAY

AT MONTREAL

* Schedule: 4 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, 10:30 a.m. Thursday

* Television: Fox Sports West 2 all three games.

* Radio: KXTA (1150) and KWKW (1330) all three games.

* Pitching matchups: Ismael Valdes (8-10, 3.31 ERA) vs. Mike Thurman (4-7, 4.21) Tuesday; Chan Ho Park (6-9, 5.78) vs. Dan Smith (3-6, 5.96) Wednesday; Undecided (2-2, 5.11) vs. Dustin Hermanson (5-10, 5.09) Thursday.

* Last series: Dodger pitchers were superb as Los Angeles took two of three games in early May. The Expos scored only four runs in the three games, with starters Park, Valdes and Arnold combining to give up only two earned runs in 19 2/3 innings.

* About the Expos: The Expos play in front of fewer than 10,000 fans per game in Montreal, and there probably won’t be a rush of walk-up sales for this series. Manager Felipe Alou had an off-season offer to manage the Dodgers, but chose to stick with the team that has the lowest payroll in baseball.

FRIDAY-SUNDAY

VS. ATLANTA

* Schedule: 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 5 p.m. Sunday

* Television: Channel 5 Friday, Fox Sports West 2 Saturday.

* Radio: KXTA (1150) and KWKW (1330) all three games.

* Last series: The teams split the first two games in late May, but the Dodgers took the third game and the series with an extra-inning victory. In that game, the Braves scored three runs in the eighth inning off Kevin Brown to tie it, 4-4, but Ryan Klesko dropped a throw at first base in the 11th, allowing Eric Karros to score the winning run.

* About the Braves: The Braves aren’t as dominant this year as they have been the rest of the decade. Their lineup has lost two key bats for the season, Andres Galarraga, who is being treated for cancer, and Javier Lopez (knee). The pitching is still good, but all four aces--Maddux, Glavine, Millwood and Smoltz--have struggled at times and Smoltz has battled injuries.

HISTORY LESSON

A look back at this week in Dodger history:

Aug. 11, 1969: Don Drysdale announced his retirement, because of a muscle tear in his right shoulder. Drysdale was the last Dodger link to the Brooklyn days.

Aug. 13, 1982: Steve Sax set a Dodger rookie record with his 41st stolen base of the season.

Aug. 13, 1951: The Dodgers held “Music Depreciation Night” at Ebbets Field. Every fan with a musical instrument was admitted free. Nearly 2,000 fans took advantage of the opportunity, including one who came with a piano.

Source: Dodger records