Dodgers Trip at Finish

The Dodgers are now surprised when they don’t win, making a 4-3 loss Wednesday to the struggling Milwaukee Brewers especially frustrating.

Mark Loretta’s ninth-inning, two-out single against reliever Matt Herges drove in James Mouton from third with the winning run--ending the majors’ longest losing streak at 11 games before 39,223 at Miller Park.

Mouton led off with a bloop double down the right-field line against Herges (8-7), advanced to third on Henry Blanco’s sacrifice bunt and scored when Loretta singled to center.

The Brewers (44-56) got their first victory since July 14, and the Dodgers (58-44) finished 5-1 against Milwaukee in 2001, ending another successful trip at 4-2.

But that’s not good enough for the National League West’s second-place club, which has won 10 of 12 games and is greedy.

“When you’re not playing as well, you’re happy with 4-2,” said Shawn Green, who hit his team-leading 28th home run. “But when you’re playing as well as we are, you’d like to see 5-1.”

Said Gary Sheffield: “We have the confidence as a team that we should win, and we’re not going to be satisfied when we don’t.”

Green, Sheffield and Eric Karros did their part, hitting solo homers--three of the team’s five hits--against Brewer rookie starter Ben Sheets.

After Sheffield hit his 24th homer with one out in the fourth, Green, who has homered in five consecutive games, followed with a 425-foot blast to center, tying the score at 2-2 and marking the ninth time the club has hit consecutive homers.

“I’m just hitting the ball in the air right now, that’s the key,” said Green, who also leads the club with 78 runs batted in and 74 runs.

“You go through different phases throughout the season. Sometimes you’re hitting line drives, sometimes you’re hitting ground balls, fly balls and sometimes you’re not hitting at all. Right now, the ball is just going in the air and it’s good enough to go out.”

Karros’ 10th homer gave the Dodgers a 3-2 lead in the seventh, but the Brewers tied the score in their half of the inning on Jeromy Burnitz’s second homer, chasing Luke Prokopec.

Despite recurring blister problems, the rookie had a career-high 11 strikeouts--the most by a Dodger this season--but was uncomfortable against Burnitz, who had his third multihomer game of the season and 13th of his career.

“Just psyched myself out, pretty much,” said Prokopec, winless in his last 10 starts.

“I told myself, basically, you can’t do this and that [against Burnitz], instead of doing what I did with the rest of the lineup. When you decide you can’t do something, what you’re going to do is throw that pitch.”

Giovanni Carrara relieved Prokopec with two out in the seventh and runners on first and second.

Carrara hit Ron Belliard with a pitch to load the bases, but Loretta flied out.

David Weathers (3-4) relieved Sheets and pitched two scoreless innings, getting Karros to ground out in the eighth with runners on first and second.

Enter Herges.

The right-hander has been one of the league’s best short relievers this season, but he was not in top form.

With Burnitz at first after a two-out walk, Jose Hernandez singled, but was thrown out trying to stretch it into a double.

Herges was not as fortunate in the ninth.

With Mouton on third, pinch-hitter Luis Lopez was walked intentionally. Mouton stayed at third on Belliard’s fly to shallow right.

Herges pitched aggressively to Loretta because former Dodger Devon White, on deck, has thrived with the bases loaded this season: five for seven, including three grand slams, and 19 RBIs.

“In hindsight, I probably should have unintentionally intentionally walked him,” Herges said. “But I looked at Devo on deck, and I know he’s tough with the bases juiced.

“I wanted to stay aggressive, I wanted to get this guy out. I didn’t want to throw a meat pitch, but I did. It was right down the middle and I got hurt.”

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