BASEBALL PLUS : DODGERS / THE WEEK AHEAD

TODAY-WEDNESDAY

AT FLORIDA

* Schedule: 4 p.m. today, 1 p.m. Wednesday.

* Television: Fox Sports West 2 today.

* Radio: KXTA (1150) and KWKW (1330).

* Pitching matchups: Eric Gagne (major league debut) vs. Ryan Dempster (6-7, 5.34) today; Chan Ho Park (9-10), 5.71) vs. A.J. Burnett (2-1, 3.12) Wednesday.

* Last series: A strong pitching effort by Darren Dreifort in the series finale helped the Dodgers avert a sweep by the Marlins. Dreifort pitched his first complete game of the season and posted his second career shutout in the 7-0 victory. Florida had won the first game, 7-5, on a grand slam by Preston Wilson. Bruce Aven’s two-run homer in the first inning helped Florida to a 6-1 victory in the second game.

* About the Marlins: The Marlins have been struggling more than usual. They also will have to go the rest of the season without Alex Fernandez, their top pitcher, in an effort to rest his shoulder. Fernandez was 7-8 with a 3.38 earned-run average this season after missing the 1988 season because of a torn rotator cuff.

THURSDAY-SUNDAY

VS. NEW YORK METS

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

* Television: Fox Sports West 2 Thursday, KTLA Friday and Saturday.

* Radio: KXTA (1150) and KWKW (1330).

* Last series: The Dodgers won two of three in early August. The Mets won the first game, 2-1, when rookie Octavio Dotel beat Chan Ho Park, but the Dodgers rallied from a four-run deficit to win the second game, 7-6. The third game was a 14-3 romp with Raul Mondesi getting two homers and five runs batted in.

* About the Mets: New York is keeping the heat on Atlanta in the NL East. Mike Piazza and Robin Ventura are providing the firepower and pitcher Kenny Rogers (9-3) is unbeaten since moving to the National League. Rogers was acquired from Oakland July 23 and is 4-0 since the switch. Masato Yoshii is 3-1 with a 1.57 earned-run average in five starts since moving into the rotation on Aug. 13.