Prokopec Suffers Another Bad Outing

Just when Manager Jim Tracy thought the Dodger pitching situation could not get worse, Luke Prokopec needs help.

The rookie right-hander continued to struggle Monday night in a 12-7 interleague loss to the Texas Rangers at Dodger Stadium.

Prokopec (6-3) was pounded in his third consecutive start and wasted strong support before 27,431.

On a night the Dodgers needed a solid starting performance, Prokopec gave up 10 hits--including three home runs--and a career-high seven earned runs in five innings.

Prokopec was shaky from the outset and his ERA ballooned from 3.90 to 4.54. In his last three outings, Prokopec has given up 30 hits and 15 earned runs in only 16 innings.

“We were fortunate to get him through five,” Tracy said. “He got some pitches up in the strike zone, got behind in the count and got into some bad situations.

“He had to use more of the plate to try to get out of it. They just kept hitting.”

The Dodgers had 13 hits--but bad news again outweighed good for the reeling club.

Infielder Jeff Reboulet left in the second inning because of a sore left hamstring, and Mark Grudzielanek in the eighth because of an ankle injury.

Grudzielanek sprained his ankle on a run-scoring single that extended his team-high hitting streak to 13 games.

“Grud sprained his ankle, had X-rays and they were negative,” Tracy said. “We won’t know anything else until [today]. Reboulet strained his hamstring, and we also won’t know more about that until [today].”

Ranger starter Darren Oliver (5-2) gave up seven hits and three runs in six innings. Shawn Green hit his team-leading 17th home run in the first against Oliver and also had a run-scoring double in the eighth.

Rafael Palmeiro hit home runs 16 and 17, and the Rangers (22-40) had five in 16 hits against the Dodgers (34-30), who have dropped five of six and three of four on the homestand.

Relievers Gregg Olson and Eric Gagne were also ineffective again.

Gagne gave up two hits and a run in two innings and Olson gave up three hits and four runs in the eighth.

TONIGHT

DODGERS’ DARREN DREIFORT

(3-5, 4.88 ERA)

vs.

RANGERS’ MIKE JUDD

(1-0, 4.44 ERA)

Site--Dodger Stadium.

Time--7.

TV--Channel 5.

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

Update--Dreifort is coming off the worst start of his career in a 13-9 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks last Thursday at Bank One Ballpark. The right-hander was charged with a career-high eight earned runs in only two-plus innings. Judd, once considered the Dodgers’ top pitching prospect, is making his first start for the Rangers. The Rangers claimed the right-hander off waivers from the Tampa Bay Devil Rays on May 29.

Tickets--(323) 224-1448.