Johnson Points Finger at His Starting Pitchers

The way Dodger Manager Davey Johnson sees it, inconsistent starting pitching has been the team’s downfall.

“To try to rattle off eight, nine, 10 [wins] in a row, you’ve got to stay consistent,” Johnson said. “We haven’t had that.

“We haven’t gone through a stretch where it’s fed on itself.”

Consider: While Darren Dreifort had been the Dodgers’ most reliable starter of late and Chan Ho Park has shown flashes of brilliance, $105-million man Kevin Brown has not won since July 24. And the Dodgers’ No. 4 and No. 5 spots have been occupied by the likes of recently reacquired Ismael Valdes; 30-year-old rookie Matt Herges; Orel Hershiser, who has since retired; Eric Gagne, who disappointed and was demoted; Carlos Perez, who was banished to the bullpen; and Mike Judd, who made an emergency spot start before being sent back to triple-A Albuquerque.

“They don’t have to all be 15-game winners, but the key, the starting point, and it’s been somewhat of a disappointment, is that we haven’t had consistent back-to-back times through the rotation,” Johnson said.

*

Gary Sheffield said he didn’t know that Fox was playing his wife DeLeon’s song “My Life” as he batted during Saturday’s telecast until he started getting calls from family and friends after the game.

Sheffield singled and homered in the two at-bats that Fox played the song.

“It’s very inspirational music that I listen to when I’m on my own,” Sheffield said Sunday.

ON DECK

* Opponent--Montreal Expos, four games.

* Site--Dodger Stadium.

* Tonight--7.

* TV--Fox Sports Net 2, all four games.

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

* Records--Dodgers 62-60, Expos 52-68.

* Record vs. Expos--2-2.

TONIGHT

DODGERS’ MATT HERGES

(8-2, 3.38 ERA)

vs.

EXPOS’ DUSTIN HERMANSON

(8-11, 5.52 ERA)

* Update--Herges, the converted rookie reliever, will be making his third start. He faced the Expos in a relief role during the season-opening series at Montreal, throwing two scoreless innings on April 5. Hermanson took the loss in the Dodgers’ 10-4 victory at Olympic Stadium on April 3. He is 2-3 with a 4.26 earned-run average in 10 games against the Dodgers.

* Tuesday, 7 p.m.--Ismael Valdes (2-6, 5.55 ERA) vs. Trey Moore (1-3, 5.40 ERA).

* Wednesday, 7 p.m.--Kevin Brown (10-5, 2.73 ERA) vs. Mike Thurman (3-3, 5.40 ERA).

* Thursday, 1 p.m.--Chan Ho Park (12-8, 3.81 ERA) vs. Javier Vazquez (8-5, 4.01 ERA).

* Tickets--(323) 224-1448.