Dodgers Go for Early Knockout

The new-look Dodgers are not supposed to rely on home runs, but one knows about old habits.

The Dodgers hit five homers Friday night--including four against San Francisco Giant starter Shawn Estes--in a 10-1 victory before 36,508 at Dodger Stadium.

Mark Grudzielanek homered twice, Eric Karros took sole possession of third place on the all-time franchise list with a two-run shot, Marquis Grissom hit his first as a Dodger and Paul Lo Duca capped the powerful display with a three-run blast in the seventh inning.

The Dodgers had 12 hits (the Giants had four) and one more homer than in their first four games combined.

“I know that we’re capable of hitting home runs, no doubt about that,” said Manager Jim Tracy, the bench coach last season when the Dodgers had six homers Aug. 22 against the Montreal Expos.

“But I also think that with the work that we’ve done, we have a good idea of how to score some runs when we’re not hitting home runs. But obviously, when we hit ‘em, it makes it easier. That’s for sure.”

Luke Prokopec delivered power from the mound after his teammates staked him to a 4-0 lead in the first inning.

Using a sharp 94-mph fastball, the rookie right-hander made the most of the surprising support in an outstanding 7 2/3-inning, one-run, seven-strikeout outing.

Prokopec, on the roster because Kevin Brown is on the disabled list, lost his shutout bid in the eighth on Bobby Estalella’s two-out, run-scoring double into the left-field corner.

He received a standing ovation, and congratulatory slaps on the back from teammates, after Tracy summoned reliever Gregg Olson to finish the inning.

“The lead sure makes it a lot easier,” said Prokopec, 0-1 with a 4.50 earned-run average in spring training. “We had some great offense, and to do that going into a three-game series against San Francisco . . . you can’t ask for much more than that.”

Mike Fetters pitched the ninth to nail down the victory in the series opener against the rival Giants, giving the Dodgers much to celebrate.

“We kept it alive in the field and we had a really good game,” Prokopec said. “It was just great.”

Prokopec (1-0) had no walks while throwing 67 strikes in 95 pitches.

The Dodgers needed an impressive performance after batting only .192 with 12 runs in their first four games, and ruining the Giants’ night was an added benefit.

With Estes (0-1) throwing extended batting practice, the Dodgers raced to a four-run, first-inning lead on Grudzielanek’s solo homer into the left-field pavilion, Karros’ blast to center--his 243rd overall--and Phil Hiatt’s run-scoring single.

Grissom homered in the fourth and Grudzielanek followed with his second, marking his first multihomer game since May 13, 1998, against the Giants, and the first time he had homered in consecutive games since 1999.

Estes gave up nine hits and seven earned runs in four innings for a 15.75 ERA.

“He wasn’t getting his curveball over,” Giant Manager Dusty Baker said. “He had no command on his change-up.”

Karros received a proclamation Friday from Mayor Richard Riordan for a day in his honor, and he had his most productive game after a slow start.

In his first 15 at-bats, Karros had only a single and a run batted in. He homered and singled against Estes, and moved alone into third place on the homer list after having been tied with Roy Campanella.

Duke Snider tops the list with 389 homers and Gil Hodges is second with 361.

“It’s nice to hit home runs,” said Grudzielanek, who leads the Dodgers with three. “But we also have a lot of guys who make contact and put the ball in play. That’s important too.”

Lo Duca’s homer against reliever Mark Gardner pushed the Dodgers’ lead to 10-0, providing the final touch on a game that made Tracy’s first week on the job a little easier.