Aching Karros Double Clutches

Eric Karros has a sore back, career-low statistics and pride.

The struggling first baseman believes he can still help the first-place Dodgers in their playoff push, and Karros did for the second time in as many games Tuesday night in a 2-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates before 28,873 at PNC Park.

Karros’ 11th home run broke a 1-1 tie in the fourth inning, helping the National League West leaders take the opener of the three-game series while winning their third in a row.

The nine-year veteran had another timely hit for the Dodgers (64-49) two days after his 10th-inning single provided the difference in a 3-2 victory over the Central-leading Chicago Cubs, homering to left field on a 1-and-1 count against Pirate starter Tony McKnight (1-2).

The one-out shot and Gary Sheffield’s run-scoring single in the first were enough support for starter Terry Adams, setup man Mike Trombley and closer Jeff Shaw.

Adams (8-4) rebounded from a bad performance in his previous outing, giving up only one run in seven solid innings and winning for the fourth time in five starts.

Trombley pitched a perfect eighth, and Shaw escaped a jam for his league-leading 34th save.

With one out and the potential tying and go-ahead runs on first and second, Kevin Young fouled out and Abraham Nunez, pinch-hitting for Alex Hernandez, struck out swinging to end the game.

The Dodgers lead the second-place San Francisco Giants by a game and the third-place Arizona Diamondbacks by 1 1/2 games in a race that Manager Jim Tracy believes he needs Karros to help to win.

“A big home run tonight, a big base hit on Sunday to win us a ballgame,” Tracy said. “I’ve said that guys go through times offensively when they’re searching, and I’ve publicly said that this club needs Eric Karros.

“We’re going to continue to ride him. And he’s going to get the job done for us.”

The Dodgers staked Adams to a 1-0 lead on Sheffield’s infield hit, and the hapless Pirates (43-68) tied the score in the third on Brian Giles’ two-out single.

Enter Karros.

McKnight threw Karros a fastball in the strike zone and Karros drove the ball into the seats ahead of Pirate left fielder Giles, who leaped over the wall and into the stands in pursuit.

Karros’ only hit in four at-bats came at a good time for the Dodgers, who had nine hits total and failed to score after leadoff doubles by Adrian Beltre and Paul Lo Duca in the second and eighth innings, respectively.

“It was a pitch inside, luckily I got enough of it and it got out,” said Karros, batting .241 with 47 runs batted in.

“Hopefully, I can start contributing. I had some other opportunities, but again, coming one out of [four], I’ll take that any day of the week.”

After getting pounded in 4 1/3 innings against the Cincinnati Reds, Adams was in command from the outset against the Central’s last-place team.

The Pirates had only two baserunners against Adams--on singles--after Giles’ run-scoring hit in the third.

The right-hander gave up six hits and walked one with four strikeouts.

McKnight also was effective.

He gave up nine hits and two runs in eight innings.

But Adams was better.

“I threw strikes, I was aggressive and I didn’t walk but one guy, and I think that’s the key for me,” he said. “Not giving free bases really has been the key.”

Tracy was impressed again.

“Obviously, tonight was very good,” the manager said. “He’s starting to show that he’s the type of guy that if you’re going to get to him, you’ve got to do it early.

“He was searching mechanically a little bit there in the first couple of innings. He gets in the dugout and has a couple of chalk talks with [pitching coach Jim Colborn], and Jimmy has been fantastic at that all year long.

“He gives them little reminders to get on track. From the third inning on, through the seventh, it was pretty much no contest.”

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