Park Is Still Feeling Groovy

Chan Ho Park has been focused, confident and determined to deliver.

The Dodgers have simply been impressed.

Park continued to open eyes Tuesday night in a 7-2 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers at County Stadium, pitching 5 2/3 hitless innings, giving up only one hit in eight innings and striking out a career-high 14.

The right-hander had pitched 20 scoreless innings, spanning three outings, before the Brewers’ James Mouton hit a full-count fastball for a two-out, two-run home run just inside the left-field foul pole in the sixth.

Mouton’s homer, after pinch-hitter Mark Sweeney walked, ended Park’s bid for his first no-hitter and was the Brewers’ only hit.

Mike Fetters worked a perfect ninth and Park (14-8) got his third consecutive victory in as many dominant starts before 14,179.

Park had the most strikeouts by a Dodger pitcher since Hideo Nomo struck out 17 against the Florida Marlins on April 17, 1996.

Not surprisingly, the Dodgers could not say enough about Park.

“He’s been in kind of a groove and a zone of his own,” Manager Davey Johnson said of Park, who has a 1.70 earned-run average in his last five starts, dropping his overall mark to 3.60. “He’s been as dominant as he’s been all year.

“All his pitches are sharp and crisp. What a back-to-back-to-back effort. It’s like he’s in a pennant race. He’s just been special.”

The Brewers also were impressed.

“There’s nothing you can say, he just dominated us,” Brewer batting coach Rod Carew said. “All you can do is tip your cap to him.”

Park’s teammates did their part, again providing early support.

A night after staking Kevin Brown to a 5-0 lead in the first in a 5-3 victory, the Dodgers scored four runs in the second against Milwaukee starter Jimmy Haynes (11-12).

Second baseman Mark Grudzielanek had three hits against the Brewers--including a double and triple--and matched his career high with four runs batted in.

The Dodgers (70-62) improved to a season-high eight games above .500 for the fourth time, and moved within five games of the first-place San Francisco Giants in the National League West.

The Dodgers, nine games back Aug. 21, are 8-1 since all-star left fielder Gary Sheffield has been sidelined because of flu, and 5-1 on the trip.

They’re still on the outside looking in, but the party no longer seems so far away.

“There’s no question we’ve had our ups and downs,” Grudzielanek said. “[Critics] count us out, and then they talk about us [having a chance], then they count us out again.

“It’s been a roller coaster ride for us, but we have the personnel to compete. Just look at Chan Ho. He’s been in one of the best zones I’ve seen since I’ve been here.”

On Tuesday, Park overwhelmed the Brewers.

Again following catcher Chad Kreuter’s lead, Park frustrated the Brewers with a 94-mph fastball and sharp breaking pitches.

He threw his slider and changeup for strikes at any point in the count. Park walked three while throwing 83 strikes in 130 pitches in the Dodgers’ second one-hitter this season.

Park retired the side in order in the first, second, third and fifth.

The Brewers got their first baserunner with one out in the fourth on first baseman Eric Karros’ error. On the next pitch, Park got a double-play grounder.

Park said the outing was one of his best, though he did not realize he had been working on a no-hitter.

“After that [Mouton’s homer], I looked at people [in the stands] getting excited,” Park said. “Then I saw the scoreboard had one hit. After that, I said ‘Let’s go.’ I had to get to work.”

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NL WEST RACE

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Team W L GB S.F. 74 56 -- Arizona 72 59 2 1/2 Dodgers 70 62 5

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