Have Potion, Will Travel

The Dodgers’ mystical medicine show takes to the road this week in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, having astonished onlookers with an incredible shrinking offense and a starting rotation so surprisingly effective that few want to spoil the fun by wondering if it is fraudulent.

Most dazzling is the team’s high-wire act atop the National League West standings.

After taking two of three from the NL Central Division-leading Chicago Cubs over the weekend, the Dodgers lead the Arizona Diamondbacks by a half-game and the San Francisco Giants by one game.

Dodger Manager Jim Tracy fancies himself as something of a master of illusion.

“The whole of this club is so much greater than the individual parts added together,” he said. “We are getting it done despite some incredible adversity. Whenever one component is missing, another just comes along to fill the void.”

That has certainly been true of the pitching. Starters Andy Ashby and Darren Dreifort are out for the season and ace Kevin Brown will be sidelined for at least another week with an elbow strain, yet the Dodgers have received one top performance after another.

From the most unlikely of sources. Which begs the question, can it continue another 51 games?

Can converted reliever Terry Adams keep pitching deep into games, even though he already has equaled his career high of 101 innings?

Can inexperienced Eric Gagne and Luke Prokopec be effective in a pennant race? Prokopec pitched well early and Gagne has pitched well lately, but strong performances by both will be important down the stretch.

Can recently acquired James Baldwin maintain the blistering pace set in his first two Dodger starts or will he become as hittable as he was with the Chicago White Sox? His earned-run average was 5.09 in 920 innings before this season.

The one sure thing is Chan Ho Park, 11-7 with a 2.83 ERA and 167 strikeouts in 165 1/3 innings.

“I don’t see any reason why our pitching can’t continue to be good,” Tracy said. “These guys are quality pitchers.”

In contrast to the inexperienced rotation is an aging bullpen. The average age of Jeff Shaw, Jesse Orosco, Terry Mulholland and Mike Trombley is 38. Youthful Matt Herges is the workhorse, but giving him days off will become increasingly important.

That, of course, is the primary reason the Dodgers traded for Mulholland and Trombley a week ago.

“The trades shored us up big-time,” Tracy said. “Trombley and Mulholland have been very encouraging. We are no longer in a position where we have to overuse Herges. We can go through several pitchers and still have ammo in our belt.”

The big gun, though, is a healthy Brown, who is 8-4 with a 2.95 ERA, but has thrown only 88 1/3 innings. He did not accompany the team on the trip and is working with a physical therapist.

Dodger trainers are busy. Slumping first baseman Eric Karros (back) and second baseman Mark Grudzielanek (thumb) are not 100%, reducing the number of consistent hitters to three--Paul Lo Duca, Gary Sheffield and Shawn Green.

All of which puts the pressure right back on pitchers.

ON DECK

Opponent--Pittsburgh Pirates, three games.

Site--PNC Park.

Today--4 p.m. PDT.

TV--Fox Sports Net 2 Thursday.

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

Records--Dodgers 63-49, Pirates 43-67.

2001 Record vs. Pirates--5-1.

TONIGHT

DODGERS’

TERRY ADAMS

(7-4, 4.97 ERA)

vs.

PIRATES’

TONY MCKNIGHT

(1-1, 3.75)

Update--Adams is 5-2 since becoming a starter June 4, averaging nearly six innings per outing. He is 2-0 against the Pirates. Adams is gaining command of two new pitches, a two-seam fastball and curve.

Wednesday, 4 p.m.--Luke Prokopec (6-6, 4.55) vs. Jimmy Anderson (6-11, 5.51).

Thursday, 4 p.m.--Chan Ho Park (11-7, 2.83) vs. Todd Ritchie (8-10, 4.00).