‘PEN OF INEQUITY

Their bullpen has been at its worst recently. At least the Dodgers hope that’s as bad as it gets.

They figure the struggling group can’t perform worse than it has during a four-game losing streak. Of course, they had been confident things wouldn’t get this bad.

The Arizona Diamondbacks rallied against the Dodgers’ best relievers in two games, pounded their top rookie in another and swept a three-game series at Bank One Ballpark. The Dodgers say the bullpen will be fine again in time.

But teams with $90-million payrolls and big expectations typically don’t practice much patience. The Dodgers begin a three-game series against the St. Louis Cardinals tonight at Busch Stadium, and they clearly need better bullpen production.

“I’ve been saying all along that I like the group we have, and nothing has changed,” Manager Davey Johnson said. “We didn’t have too many options out there last year, but we have some now.

“We’ve got the talent, but any club is going to go through a [difficult] stretch now and then. You just have to fix it and move on.”

There seems much to fix.

The bullpen has a 15.26 earned-run average during the losing streak, having given up 26 runs in 15 1/3 innings. Overall, Dodger relievers rank 10th in the National League with a 5.11 ERA.

The Diamondbacks put the bullpen in the spotlight, but key members have been shaky since the month began. Closer Jeff Shaw and setup man Terry Adams have been ineffective after starting strong.

Adams (2-3) took the loss in Arizona’s 2-1 victory Wednesday after giving up three singles in the ninth inning and failing to record an out. He also gave up three hits and two runs Tuesday in the Diamondbacks’ 11-7, 12-inning victory after coming on in the eighth with the Dodgers ahead, 6-3.

Adams’ ERA has ballooned from 1.35 on April 30 to 3.22. His role has increased with Gregg Olson and Mike Fetters on the disabled list, Alan Mills struggling with his confidence and Antonio Osuna being eased into work after rehabilitating from elbow surgery.

“We’re going to score some runs,” left fielder Gary Sheffield said. “We’ve got a lot of guys who can do different things offensively, but teams win championships with pitching.

“We know we have some good veteran arms in the bullpen, but we’re struggling there right now. We have to get that worked out.”

Shaw leads the league in blown saves with four. His 7.71 ERA is the fourth worst among relievers with at least 11 innings.

On Tuesday, Arizona tied the score, 6-6, in the ninth against Shaw (2-2). In one-plus innings last Sunday, the right-hander was charged with five earned runs in Houston’s 14-8, 10-inning victory.

Shaw faced five batters in the 10th and failed to record an out. He also gave up a ninth-inning, game-tying home run last Friday.

“I feel fine,” said Shaw, who has seven saves. “I’m doing everything I’m capable of doing to keep the games in hand. You just have to keep working.”

Johnson remains confident in Shaw and Adams.

“I know what the numbers say, but they’re not throwing like it looks,” Johnson said. “There just have been a couple of rough spots. It just was a tough series [against Arizona].”

Not only for Adams and Shaw.

Rookie right-hander Matt Herges had his worst outing in Arizona’s 15-7 victory Monday. Herges gave up eight hits--among them two homers--and seven earned runs. He hadn’t given up an earned run in his first 19 1/3 innings.

And Orel Hershiser continued to struggle after moving from the rotation to the bullpen. Hershiser gave up five runs in the 12th inning Tuesday--including Damian Miller’s game-winning grand slam.

“We’ve played pretty well as a team up to this point,” said Adams, in his first season with the Dodgers. “Right now we’re just not getting the pitching we need from the bullpen.”

Johnson hopes the addition of Onan Masaoka will help. The bullpen had been without a left-hander since the second-year pitcher was optioned to triple-A Albuquerque on April 14.

Masaoka walked 25 batters in 20 2/3 innings with the Dukes, indicating his command didn’t improve during his demotion. But Johnson wanted Masaoka to return after watching Arizona’s left-handed batters torment the bullpen.

Osuna’s fastball has been clocked in the mid-90s in his three appearances, and Johnson plans to increase his workload. Fetters had been throwing well when he went on the disabled list Wednesday because of an inflamed pitching elbow, and he’s expected to be activated May 19.

“We’ve got the parts,” Johnson said. “We still need to do some tinkering, but the parts are all here.”

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

NO RELIEF

Where They Rank

A look at where the Dodger bullpen ranks among the 16 National League teams:

* Losses: 7 (third most)

* ERA: 5.11 (10th)

* Saves: 10 (third)

* Hits per 9 IP: 10.56 (16th)

* Home runs: 13 (third most)

* Strikeouts per 9 IP: 5.20 (16th)

* Walks per 9 IP: 3.66 (Second best)

* Blown saves: 8 (worst)

* Most blown saves in NL: Jeff Shaw, 4.

*

Recent Dodger Bullpen Collapses

* May 2: Braves 5, Dodgers 3--Dodgers take a 3-2 lead into the eighth, but Terry Adams gives up three runs to lose.

* May 7: Astros 14, Dodgers 8--Dodgers and Astros are tied, 7-7, in the 10th, but Jeff Shaw gives up five runs and Alan Mills two.

* May 9: Diamondbacks 11, Dodgers 7--Dodgers have two chances to win, but Shaw gives up a run in ninth to force extra innings. Dodgers score in top of 12th to take a 7-6 lead, but Orel Hershiser gives up five runs, including a grand slam, to lose.

* May 10: Diamondbacks 2, Dodgers 1--Terry Adams starts the ninth and fails to get anyone out, giving up three hits and the winning run.

--Researched by HOUSTON MITCHELL

May Day! May Day!

A look at the Dodger bullpen in May:

Terry Adams 0-2 19.29 ERA

Mike Fetters* 0-0 0.00 ERA

Matt Herges 0-0 10.50 ERA

Orel Hershiser 0-1 15.19 ERA

Alan Mills 0-0 3.60 ERA

Antonio Osuna 0-0 0.00 ERA

Jeff Shaw 1-1 15.75 ERA

Overall bullpen 1-4 10.04 ERA

*--on disabled list