Hollandsworth’s Return From DL Is Doubly Nice

Todd Hollandsworth returned from the disabled list Saturday, easing Manager Davey Johnson’s yearnings for more left-handed hitters.

Johnson immediately inserted Hollandsworth--who had missed 29 of the Dodgers’ 65 games in two stints on the disabled list--into the lineup, and his third-inning double drove in two runs as the Dodgers took a 3-0 lead they never gave up.

“We had an opportunity to get some things going there. I just wanted to get a pitch I could drive,” Hollandsworth said. “It worked out and got us some momentum, which we needed.

“It was a great win for us. We definitely needed it. You can’t say that enough.”

Sidelined since May 28 because of a strained rib-cage muscle, Hollandsworth made a one-game rehabilitation appearance with Class-A San Bernardino on Friday night, and joined the Dodgers on Saturday morning.

Pitcher Doug Bochtler, who had a 5.54 earned-run average in 12 relief appearances, was designated for assignment.

Johnson has been frustrated by limited options to use left-handed hitters to get favorable matchups, partly because of injuries and catcher Todd Hundley’s difficulties.

Saying sometimes he doesn’t have “any choice” to use a left-hander, Johnson said, “That’s not the way it works on world championship baseball teams.”

*

Outfielder Gary Sheffield probably will miss a third consecutive game today because of a sore right knee, and will take advantage of the off-day Monday for more rest.

Sheffield said the problem is an aggravation of an old injury.

“It makes it worse to try to run on it and playing the outfield, you do a lot of running,” he said. “I’ve played through it before and [wound] up hurting my hamstring.”

Other regulars with minor injuries who sat out were Eric Young (ankle), Jose Vizcaino (hamstring) and Devon White (groin).

Although Johnson pleaded injuries as the reason for the lineup shake-up, there might have been another: Eric Karros, Young, White and Vizcaino were a combined nine for 51 the first four games of the home stand.

*

Raul Mondesi became the only remaining Dodger to appear in every game when Karros didn’t play Saturday.

Mondesi has started all 66. Karros has started 62 but had appeared in three others as a pinch-hitter.

*

Outfielder Trenidad Hubbard had three hits Saturday and has 10 in his last 23 at-bats.

“When you don’t play a lot, you have time to work on your skills,” Hubbard said. “I try not to waste my time here. So does everyone else.

“We all want to show the skipper we want to get more time when we get the chance.”

DODGER ATTENDANCE

Saturday: 32,315

1999 (35 dates): 1,363,578

1998 (35 dates): 1,362,125

Total increase: 1,453

1999 average: 38,959

1998 average: 38,917

Average increase: 42

TODAY

DODGERS’

KEVIN BROWN

(7-4, 2.98)

vs.

PHILLIES’

CHAD OGEA

(3-5, 5.16)

Dodger Stadium, 1 p.m.

TV--Fox Sports West 2.

Radio--KXTA (1150), KWKW (1330).

* Update--Kevin Brown returns to the mound after the disastrous outing Tuesday when he lasted only three innings in an 11-1 loss to Pittsburgh. Brown, until then the Dodgers’ most consistent starter, gave up eight runs, four of them earned, in his shortest outing in more than three years. He gave up three home runs in the game and allowed another run to score when he forgot how many outs there were and threw to first with a runner on third. Nevertheless, Brown still ranks fourth in the National League in earned-run average at 2.98. Ogea, a former Cleveland Indian, has given up 18 home runs this season, most in the National League.