Park Gives Team a Boost in Victory

The trying rookie season of Manager Jim Tracy became tougher Monday because Kevin Brown went on the disabled list and the Arizona Diamondbacks were in the opposite dugout.

Losing another key player was not the best way to begin a key four-game series against the National League West-leading Diamondbacks, but Tracy and the Dodgers have overcome many challenges.

They added another to the list in an 8-4 victory in the series opener before 26,485 at Bank One Ballpark.

“It’s too easy to say why we’re not doing well, why we’re not keeping up and staying in this race,” said Tracy, whose club trails Arizona by two games. “Hell, in my mind, that’s the easy way out.

“I believe in the fact that there are a lot of good players in that clubhouse. They’ve already shown they will keep battling, and I believe they will continue to show that.”

Starter Chan Ho Park (7-4) provided a boost with seven solid innings, helping the second-place Dodgers (32-25) end the Diamondbacks’ winning streak at nine games and drop them to 34-23.

Shawn Green continued his strong road trip with his team-leading 14th home run--a three-run shot against Diamondback starter Armando Reynoso (1-5).

The Dodgers chased Reynoso after only three innings, hitting three of their five homers against him.

They had 13 hits and hit five homers for the fourth time this season. Marquis Grissom hit his 11th, Paul Lo Duca his sixth, Adrian Beltre had No. 4 and Tom Goodwin No. 3.

“We have a lot of guys capable of stepping up, and that’s what we have to keep doing now,” Beltre said. “We know that Sheff [Gary Sheffield], and E.K. [Eric Karros] and Brownie are out, so now’s the time everyone has to step up like we’ve been doing.”

Park delivered his ninth consecutive quality start despite a sore back that he seemed to injure while batting in the second inning.

The right-hander, who has a history of back problems, remained in the game after team medical personnel went to the mound in the second when he grimaced in pain while facing Mark Grace.

Park gave up five hits--including two home runs--and three runs. He had six strikeouts and two walks while throwing 68 strikes in 113 pitches.

“Yes, Chan Ho is the guy,” Tracy said, alluding to Park’s status as the No. 1 starter until Brown returns from the disabled list. “But it revolves around more than just Chan Ho.

“When you look at everything we’ve been through since the first day of the season, you start talking along the lines of Chan Ho, [starters] Darren Dreifort and Luke Prokopec.

“Those three guys have helped continue to hold our situation together, and hold us in the position we are right now.”

TONIGHT

DODGERS’ TERRY ADAMS

(2-2, 5.10 ERA)

vs.

DIAMONDBACKS’ ROBERT ELLIS

(4-2, 4.71 ERA)

Bank One Ballpark, 7 p.m.

TV--Fox Sports Net 2

Radio--KXTA (1150), KWKW (1330)

Update--Adams, 28, is making his first career start after 363 relief appearances with the Chicago Cubs and Dodgers. The right-hander started a game in spring training March 18 against the New York Yankees, pitching five strong innings in a 4-3 victory at Legends Field in Tampa, Fla. Manager Jim Tracy made the move to have another rotation option. Adams has twice worked a personal-best four innings in relief. He has not been charged with an earned run in 5 1/3 career innings against the Diamondbacks, spanning four appearances. Ellis is 1-2 with three no-decisions in his last six starts. This is his first appearance against the Dodgers.