Cora Feeling More Comfortable

Left fielder Gary Sheffield has been teasing light-hitting shortstop Alex Cora because of his recent power surge, saying Cora wants to replace him as the Dodgers’ top run-producer.

“He thinks he’s like Mark McGwire now,” Sheffield said, smiling. “Well, he’s not Big Mac, he’s just a Quarter Pounder with Cheese.”

Kidding aside, Cora has impressed the Dodgers.

He batted .458 (11 for 24) with six extra-base hits and 11 runs batted in during the Dodgers’ 6-4 trip. The No. 8 batter established career highs with four hits--including his first multihomer game--and five RBIs July 27 in a 16-11 victory over the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field.

Cora was three for five with four RBIs Wednesday in a trip-closing, 11-5 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates at Three Rivers Stadium. Overall, Cora is batting .271 with three homers and 18 RBIs.

Cora finally feels comfortable in the Dodger lineup, and it shows.

“Against pitchers now, I’m getting into situations where I’m hitting what I want to hit, not what they want me to hit,” he said. “Earlier in the year, it was the other way around. I was always reacting to pitchers instead of being aggressive and making them react to me.”

The sure-handed Cora, 24, was expected to be the opening-day shortstop but struggled at the plate, trying to impress too much. He began the season at triple-A Albuquerque and batted .373 in 30 games, earning another promotion to the major leagues May 5 after playing parts of the previous two seasons with the Dodgers.

Cora was optioned May 21 to Albuquerque despite playing well because of roster issues. He was recalled again May 31, and the Dodgers plan to keep Cora on the 25-man roster during the stretch run.

*

A memorial service for longtime Dodger executive Bill Schweppe is scheduled for today at 11 a.m. at Zion Lutheran Church in Anaheim. Schweppe, who worked for the Dodgers from 1946-87, died Monday at Anaheim Memorial Hospital. He was 86.

ON DECK

* Opponent--Milwaukee Brewers, three games.

* Site--Dodger Stadium.

* Tonight--7.

* TV--Fox Sports Net 2 tonight and Saturday.

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

* Records--Dodgers 57-50, Brewers 45-63.

* Record vs. Brewers (1999)--7-2.

TONIGHT

DODGERS’

KEVIN BROWN

(10-4, 2.40 ERA)

vs.

BREWERS’

PAUL RIGDON

(0-1, 7.20 ERA)

* Update--Davey Lopes returns to Dodger Stadium for the first time since becoming the Brewers’ manager. Lopes, second on the Dodgers’ all-time stolen-base list with 418, played for the club from 1972-81. The Brewers have struggled under the first-year manager, going 20-33 away from County Stadium. Milwaukee is fifth in the six-team NL Central, 14 1/2 games behind the division-leading St. Louis Cardinals. Brown is coming off a shaky start--by his high standards--July 29 in Philadelphia’s 3-0 victory at Veterans Stadium. The right-hander gave up three runs in six innings and struggled with his command.

* Saturday, 7 p.m.--Chan Ho Park (11-8, 4.08) vs. Jeff D’Amico (7-4, 1.81).

* Sunday, 5 p.m.--Ismael Valdes (2-4, 5.32) vs. Jimmy Haynes (9-10, 4.87).