Park Enters Brave New World

Manager Jim Tracy looked at Chan Ho Park in the ninth inning with the potential tying run coming to the plate, stared into the Dodger starter’s eyes and left the ball in his hands.

Park did the rest.

He got the final out on Javy Lopez’s slow roller to first with runners on first and second, rebounding from a lackluster outing with a five-hitter in a 4-1 victory against the Atlanta Braves Friday night before 35,451 at Turner Field.

Brian Jordan singled with one out, advanced to second on Park’s wild pitch with two out and Andruw Jones walked.

Tracy initiated a mound conference before Lopez batted, and closer Jeff Shaw was ready.

Park said he wasn’t needed.

“It’s not a matter of me making a statement, Chan Ho Park made the statement tonight loud and clear,” Tracy said. “About the time I looked him right in the eye, he was looking at me just as sternly in the eye right back.

“My question to him was, ‘Do you have enough left to get this guy right here?’ He definitively told me, ‘Yes.’ It was his game at that point and time.”

On a 2-2 count, Lopez, batting .118 against Park beginning the game, grounded to first baseman Paul Lo Duca.

Park appreciated Tracy’s faith.

“I was a little upset when he walked out to the mound, because obviously he’s going to change the pitcher,” he said. “He didn’t ask me anything, he just told me, ‘Just go get ‘em.’ I was happy I got the opportunity to finish the game.”

Tracy, pitching coach Jim Colborn and catcher Chad Kreuter challenged Park (12-9) to increase his intensity in the tight National League West and NL wild-card races.

He responded with an efficient performance, outdueling two-time Cy Young award winner Tom Glavine (11-7) and helping the Dodgers (70-58) in their postseason push.

The third-place club pulled to within 31/2 games of the leading Arizona Diamondbacks in the West--reducing the lead for the second consecutive day--and two games of the second-place San Francisco Giants in the wild-card standings.

Park, relying on a sharp 93-95 mph fastball, had seven strikeouts and two walks.

Jordan’s sacrifice fly in the sixth provided the Braves’ only run.

“He was special, he was absolutely special,” Tracy said. “That’s as good as it gets right there, and I’ve said that about him before.

“The bridge that we’re trying to get across with Chan Ho Park is that it doesn’t even have to be that good every time out. But the consistency of it, and the ability to do so each time, is there.

“I mean, in my mind, that’s how good he is. I think he might have proved something to himself tonight too. Sometimes conversation is very good.”

Said Jordan: “He was pretty much in control the whole game.”

The Dodgers improved to 3-1 on the trip in Park’s second complete game of the season, taking the opener of the four-game series against the East-leading Braves (70-57), who are a game ahead of the Philadelphia Phillies.

Shawn Green continued his torrid power pace, hitting his team-leading 40th home run against Glavine to become only the third L.A. Dodger in that club.

Gary Sheffield tops the L.A. and franchise lists with 43 homers, sharing the all-time record with Hall of Famer Duke Snider.

Mike Piazza and Green are tied for second in L.A. history, and Green holds the L.A. record for homers by a left-handed batter.

“The is the best swing I’ve ever had,” Green said. “It’s been going on a while, so I just hope to ride it out for the rest of the year and hopefully into the playoffs.”

Although Green made another big contribution, Marquis Grissom provided the biggest blow with a three-run homer.

Grissom hit his 20th homer against Glavine on a full-count fastball in the fourth, driving in Sheffield and Lo Duca to stake Park to a 4-0 lead.

Park stirred clubhouse frustration because of his ineffective, five-inning performance in Sunday’s 6-5 loss to the New York Mets at Dodger Stadium, but the Dodgers offered only praise Friday.

“He did what pitchers need to do--close out games,” Colborn said. “He smelled it at the end, you might say.”

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

Bouncing Back

Chan Ho Park, criticized for his last start against the New York Mets Sunday and 0-3 in his last four starts, turned in a stellar performance against Atlanta Friday:

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Last 4 Sunday Friday vs. Starts* vs. Mets Braves IP 62/3 5 9 H 5 7 5 R 3 4 1 ER 3 3 1 BB 3 4 2 SO 4 3 7 Pitches 102 107 126 Strikes 60 58 78 W-L 0-3 Loss Win ERA 4.05 5.40 1.00

*--*

*Average per start

Brown to Return Tuesday

Kevin Brown, sidelined almost six weeks because of a torn muscle, will start Tuesday against Colorado at Dodger Stadium. D8