Beltre Hit in Ninth Keys 5th Straight Win

The resilient Dodgers continue to overcome seemingly devastating news at every turn.

After putting ailing starter Darren Dreifort on the disabled list Saturday, the Dodgers scored four runs in the ninth inning en route to a 7-3 victory over the San Diego Padres before 60,830 at Qualcomm Stadium.

With the score tied, 3-3, the Dodgers (43-37) took command against Padre all-star closer Trevor Hoffman and matched their season-high winning streak at five games. The Padres (37-44) have lost four in a row.

“We’ve been dealing with this all year,” second baseman Mark Grudzielanek said of the club’s rash of injuries.

“Dreif is definitely a key piece of the puzzle. We’re going to have to find someone to fill in that slot, but we’re not just going to . . . lay down.

“We’re not going to say, ‘Oh, my God, Dreif is out and [starter Andy Ashby] is out. We’re just going to keep going. This team is not going to lay down, I don’t care if our whole starting club goes down.”

Adrian Beltre, who tied his career high with four hits in Friday’s 7-5 victory, had a two-run, two-out, bases-loaded single against Hoffman (2-3) that gave the Dodgers a 5-3 lead.

Marquis Grissom followed with a run-scoring single, and the Dodgers got an insurance run on center fielder Mark Kotsay’s error.

Trying to get Beltre at third, Kotsay made a strong throw to third on Grissom’s single, but third baseman Phil Nevin did not cover the bag.

Matt Herges (5-6) worked a third of an inning in relief of starter Chan Ho Park, who pitched 7 1/3 innings in a 125-pitch effort.

The Dodgers reclaimed the lead, 3-2, in the eighth on Shawn Green’s team-leading 20th homer.

On an 0-and-1 count, Green opened the inning with a blast to left field against reliever David Lee.

But Park labored in the bottom of the inning and the Padres tied the score again, 3-3, against the bullpen.

With one out, Park walked pinch-hitter Kotsay, hitting for Lee, then walked Rickey Henderson on four pitches.

Manager Jim Tracy summoned left-hander Jesse Orosco to face left-handed batters Mike Darr and Ryan Klesko, whose two-run homer in the sixth tied the score.

Darr walked to load the bases and Ryan Klesko popped up for the second out. Herges entered to face Nevin, who pulled the Padres even with an infield hit on a chopper to third.

The Dodgers recently began discussions with the Colorado Rockies about reacquiring starter Pedro Astacio, baseball sources said.

Astacio, who began his career in the organization and pitched five-plus seasons for the Dodgers, is close to interim General Manager Dave Wallace.

Wallace worked with Astacio--traded for second baseman Eric Young in 1997--in the minors and was the Dodger pitching coach for part of the right-hander’s tenure at Chavez Ravine.

The Dodgers want to acquire another veteran starter because Ashby is sidelined for the season after elbow surgery, and Dreifort’s season is in jeopardy because of a torn ligament in his reconstructed pitching elbow.

Don Welke, senior scouting advisor, evaluated Astacio (5-9, 5.62 ERA) during Friday’s start against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Bank One Ballpark.

The Rockies are considering trading Astacio, a 17-game winner in 1999, because of payroll concerns.

The Rockies are interested in young right-handers Luke Prokopec and Eric Gagne, and are also seeking a cost-effective run-producer.

TODAY

DODGERS’ KEVIN BROWN

(6-3, 3.00 ERA)

vs.

PADRES’ BOBBY JONES

(4-10, 3.70 ERA)

Qualcomm Stadium, 7

TV--Channel 5. Radio--KXTA (1150), KWKW (1330).

Update--Brown is scheduled to start for the second time since coming off the disabled list last Sunday. The right-hander pitched five-plus innings and got a no-decision in last Tuesday’s 14-8 victory over the San Francisco Giants. Brown is 8-4 with a 3.38 ERA against the Padres. Jones is 2-1 with a 4.76 ERA in 10 games against the Dodgers.