Dodgers Get a Good Return

By JASON REID

July 23, 2001 12 AM PT

TIMES STAFF WRITER

DENVER —

The Dodgers are not known for finding bargains, but times appear to be changing.

Cost-effective newcomer McKay Christensen paid off big again Sunday night in a 9-8 series-ending victory against the Colorado Rockies before 40,085 at Coors Field.

The center fielder and leadoff batter had four hits, two runs and two stolen bases in only his second game since being promoted from triple-A Las Vegas, helping the Dodgers take two of three from the struggling Rockies.

Christensen also committed a costly error in the second, but the Dodgers still are pleased with the big-time contribution of a $217,500 reserve outfielder on a $110-million club.

“Any time you can start off well it helps,” said Christensen, who has seven hits in nine Dodger at-bats. “Getting the first hit out of the way relieved a lot of pressure on me [Saturday], and now I can just focus on helping and contributing to the team.”

Many made key contributions in helping the Dodgers (56-43) earn their eighth victory in nine games, move a season-high 13 games above .500 and remain 1 1/2 games behind the first-place Arizona Diamondbacks in the National League West.

The last-place Rockies (41-57) have dropped 25 of 30.

The Dodgers pounded 12 of their 16 hits against Colorado starter Pedro Astacio (6-12), who gave up Shawn Green’s team-leading 25th home run, Adrian Beltre’s 10th and Dave Hansen’s second in his well-attended audition for clubs seeking help before the trade deadline.

Gary Sheffield beat out a grounder in the eighth, averting an inning-ending double play that allowed Bruce Aven to score an insurance that gave the Dodgers a 9-6 lead.

“When you come into this ballpark, you assume you’re going to see a heck of a lot of hitting, but we won a baseball game tonight because of the hustle of our left fielder on a potential double-play ground ball,” Manager Jim Tracy said. “He made it a force out to score the ninth run for us.

“That says a lot about who he is, and what he’s all about, and what we’re interested in here as a team. That right there is the difference in the game.”

Jeff Shaw gave up a run in the ninth after the Dodgers intentionally walked pinch-hitter Larry Walker, who represented the potential winning run, to load the bases with one out.

But the all-star closer got the final two outs and nailed down his 28th save.

Although Terry Adams (6-3) gave up 11 hits and five earned runs in 5 1/3 innings, he put the Dodgers in position to win.

Giovanni Carrara had another strong 1 2/3-inning relief outing, getting a double play to help the Dodgers escape a jam in the sixth and preserve an 8-6 lead.

But Christensen provided a spark throughout.

“In the first inning, he started it off with a line drive single to right field,” Tracy said. “He came back up in his second at-bat, he drove the ball through the right side, and he bunted for a base hit later on in the game.

“The other thing that I think is so very special, he made a mistake defensively [in the second]. When that half inning was over, we had a dozen or more guys go over there and pat him on the rear end and say, ‘Forget about it. It’s over with. We move on.’ ”

After the Dodgers took a 5-1 lead in the second, the Rockies capitalized on Christensen’s miscue, scoring three runs to cut the lead to 5-4.

Adams got into a jam, walking Ben Petrick and giving up a single to Terry Shumpert.

No. 8 batter Brent Butler singled in front of Christensen, who tried to short hop the ball, but let it roll under his glove into deep center.

By the time Christensen retrieved it, the bases had been cleared and he had learned a lesson.

“It’s a tricky park in that the ball really flies and it’s fast out there, so you have to play real deep,” Christensen said. “I came in on it hard and just rushed it basically.

“[The Dodgers] have done a great job of making me feel comfortable. I’ve never been on a team that has done a better job of doing that, from the manager to the whole staff and the players.

“They’ve been so welcoming and encouraging. I came in and they just kind of laughed it off. In the situation, it was not something, arguably, that a major league team would do.”

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NL WEST STANDINGS

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W L GB Arizona 57 41 -- Dodgers 56 43 1.5 San Francisco 52 47 5.5 San Diego 48 51 9.5 Colorado 41 57 16

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