Dodgers Stay on Right Road

Manager Jim Tracy preached patience while shuffling lineups because of injuries, saying the Dodgers would improve.

They appeared to find their groove Sunday afternoon, completing a four-game sweep of the San Diego Padres with an 8-0 victory before 27,401 at Qualcomm Stadium.

The Dodgers (44-37) swept the Padres (37-45) in San Diego for the first time since April 25-28, 1977, established a season-high, six-game winning streak and won the last six games of the trip after dropping the opener against the San Francisco Giants at Pacific Bell Park.

“That’s six excellent days in a row--there’s no getting around that,” Tracy said. “This is the best we’ve played all year, and I’m talking about all facets of the game complementing one another: our defense, our [starting] pitching, our relief pitching and the offense. It’s not just showing up in one area and disappearing.”

Pitching set the tone Sunday.

Starter Kevin Brown (7-3) was sharp in six scoreless innings, giving up only three singles in his second start since coming off the disabled list.

Al Reyes had five strikeouts in a strong three-inning appearance for his first save, providing a needed rest for other relievers.

Marquis Grissom produced all the support Brown and Reyes would need with a three-run home run in the second against Padre starter Bobby Jones (4-11).

A dugout celebration followed Grissom’s 15th homer, continuing a recent trend for a hot club determined to remain in the National League race despite seemingly daily disappointing news.

“We’re doing it as a team collectively,” said Grissom, who had three of the Dodgers’ 11 hits.

“We just have to go out and play because we know what we can do. We’re still hurt with our pitching staff and other guys, so we just have to go out and find a way. We’re doing whatever it takes each day in every game.”

Eric Karros had a two-run homer--his eighth--in a three-run sixth, and that was an encouraging sign for the Dodgers because of the first baseman’s back problems.

“We’ve got a nice little streak, probably the first real good sustained streak we’ve had this year, and it’s probably no coincidence that it coincided with getting some guys healthy and back in the lineup,” said Brown, who lowered his earned-run average to 2.77.

“[We hope] we can stay that way and stay healthy. So many guys have been out of the lineup for so long, maybe now they can get comfortable and more locked in.”

Catcher Paul Lo Duca and right fielder Shawn Green were on target during the trip.

Despite going hitless Sunday, Lo Duca batted .370 (10 for 27). Green was two for four in the final game and batted .520 (13 for 25).

“You want to get to playing together, to gel together, and that hasn’t happened because we’ve had so many guys out,” left fielder Gary Sheffield said. “That’s been the nature of this game this year for this ballclub. When one key guy comes back, another one goes out. Luckily, we’re getting all the [everyday] guys healthy.

“It’s a team sport, and when it gets going, and it gets going in a positive way, big things can happen. What’s happening now is that we’re taking a lot of pressure off the pitchers. They don’t feel they have to make a great pitch on every single pitch.”

Tracy agreed.

“It’s a matter of not only getting them together, but having an opportunity for them to be out there together with one another,” he said. “They need to get a feeling for one another, and where they’re headed with different things. I really believe that you’re seeing some of that stuff unfolding.”

But Tracy quickly added that their work has only started.

“We relish the fact that we’ve been able to come in here and sweep this series, and we can enjoy it for a few hours,” he said. “Then it’s back to work against another very tough opponent.”