Dodgers Get Quality in Green’s At-Bats

Because the Dodgers are a veteran bunch, Jim Tracy does not micro-manage.

Tracy believes players know their roles, though reinforcement is sometimes necessary.

That’s what the first-year manager provided Saturday afternoon, and the struggling Dodgers routed the New York Mets, 10-2, at Shea Stadium after a 30-minute closed-door meeting.

The Dodgers responded to Tracy’s challenge, getting 13 hits--Shawn Green had his third multi-homer game of the season and Marquis Grissom added a pinch-hit homer--in a victory before 46,346 that put the Dodgers back atop the National League West.

“The quality of our at-bats was exceptional, and that’s something that we talked about,” said Tracy, who addressed the club in his other major meeting April 19 after former general manager Kevin Malone was forced to resign.

“It’s very easy to catch a weak fly ball that’s hit anywhere on the field. Let’s make them play, let’s make them have to make plays. Let’s hit the ball hard and have some consistency with our at-bats. And we did that all day long.”

Tracy also did his part during the game.

He forced the issue, putting runners in motion to pressure the Mets. The Dodgers had three stolen bases and kept the Mets guessing.

“We felt we had some situations that we could take advantage of early,” said Tracy, whose team last scored at least 10 runs a month ago.

“In order to try to jump-start things a little bit we did that. It’s just the idea that we want people to be on their toes obviously, but the baserunning part is a very important aspect of the game also.”

Green was attentive at the plate.

The right fielder broke out of a slump with three hits, his ninth and 10th homers, four runs batted in and three runs.

“Up to this point, the middle of our lineup had been struggling some,” Tracy said. “But it’s a situation, at times, that you have to be patient with.”

Green’s solo homer in the fourth against Met starter Kevin Appier (2-5) gave the Dodgers a 1-0 lead, and his run-scoring single in the fifth extended it to 3-0.

Gary Sheffield ended a streak of hitless at-bats at 18 with a two-run double, leadoff batter Tom Goodwin reached base three times with a triple and two walks and Adrian Beltre was three for five with his first multi-RBI game since May 12, after he came off the disabled list.

“When you struggle as a team, you go up there and everyone is trying to do a little bit too much,” said Green, who batted .174 (eight for 46) with two homers and seven RBIs in his previous 14 games.

“You swing at some bad pitches and get over-aggressive. Today, a lot of guys started taking walks. Goody and some other guys got on, and that helped set the table. Obviously, the run support we’ve been giving our staff the last couple of weeks hasn’t been good.”

It was Saturday.

The Dodgers had a 7-1 lead after a four-run seventh. The big cushion was too much for the Mets with Luke Prokopec building on his outstanding rookie season.

Prokopec (5-1) pitched six efficient innings to earn his second consecutive victory and third in four starts.

Edgardo Alfonzo’s two-out, solo shot in the sixth was one of only four hits the Mets had against the right-hander.

Prokopec struck out seven without a walk. He retired the side in order in the third, fourth and fifth.

“I made some really good pitches,” said Prokopec, who lowered his earned-run average from 3.93 to 3.59. “I spotted my fastball and my changeup was good also.

“We had a team meeting before the game, we discussed a lot of things, and everyone pretty much knows what it was about. Not just one guy exploded with the bat, it was a whole bunch of guys.”

Terry Adams and Matt Herges pitched scoreless seventh and eighth innings, and closer Jeff Shaw entered in a non-save situation in the ninth.

Robin Ventura hit a solo homer in the ninth, but Shaw completed the Dodgers’ second victory in their first five games on the trip.

“You know how hitting is--hitting is momentum,” said Alex Cora, two for five with a run. “We did a good job, but we’ve got to do it tomorrow.

“It’s not one day. You have to be consistent.”