Adams Isat His Best in 3-1 Win

The joy of starting still is new to Terry Adams. In his last start, the converted reliever faced perhaps the finest starter of this generation, Greg Maddux. “It was like a playoff game for me,” Adams said.

If he keeps pitching as well as he did Saturday, Adams might experience a playoff game in something besides a metaphor. Adams, who came within three outs of his first career complete game, held the St. Louis Cardinals to one unearned run over eight innings of the Dodgers’ 3-1 victory at Dodger Stadium.

“He threw the game of his life,” first baseman Eric Karros said.

Karros, ever so slowly emerging from a sluggish summer, hit his second home run in two nights, this one the game-winning home run in the fourth inning. Jeff Shaw pitching a scoreless ninth for his league-leading 39th save.

The Dodgers jumped ahead of St. Louis in the National League wild-card standings, but they still trail the Chicago Cubs by 21/2 games and the San Francisco Giants by one. They also closed within four games of the Arizona Diamondbacks in the NL West.

Adams (11-6), who has yet to appear in a playoff game in his seven-year career and had not started a major league game before this season, might well find himself starting a playoff game should the Dodgers advance to the postseason.

Kevin Brown and Chan Ho Park would head a Dodger playoff rotation, of course, but Adams would be the logical third starter at this point. In his past six starts, he’s 4-2 with a 2.82 earned-run average. He struck out seven in eight innings Saturday. He gave up three hits, all singles, none after the fourth inning, and he retired 12 consecutive batters at one point.

“He was awesome,” catcher Paul Lo Duca said. “It’s a great outing, and it’s even better when it’s a must-win game for us.”

Unlike Adams, Karros has appeared in a playoff game. Like Adams, Karros has yet to win a playoff game.

In a decade with the Dodgers, Karros has reached the playoffs in 1995 and 1996. The Dodgers were swept both times; Karros went 0 for 9 the last time.

Karros, whose batting average skidded to .228 last week, has five hits in his past 15 at-bats.

“I’ve seen some very good signs with Eric Karros the last few games,” Manager Jim Tracy said. “I’m confident that Eric Karros will have a very good month of September.”

Said Karros: “Shoot, any month I have now that I get a hit in is going to be a big month, compared to what I’ve done.” He has fallen from fourth to sixth in the batting order, and Tracy has floated the idea of dropping him to seventh.

“The frustrating part is not being able to contribute like I have in the past,” Karros said. “We’ve got a month to go, so hopefully I can contribute.”

Said Tracy: “Do people struggle? Yes, they do. Do people lose it totally overnight, never to regain it again? I disagree with that.”

The Dodgers collected an insurance run in the seventh inning.

With one out, Adrian Beltre singled, and Mark Grudzielanek singled him to second. Shawn Green reached base in each of three appearances against St. Louis starter Dustin Hermanson, so Cardinal Manager Tony La Russa replaced Hermanson with left-hander Steve Kline.

Kline, whose 78 appearances are the most in the major leagues, got Green, who bats left-handed, to ground out. Beltre took third and Grudzielanek second, so La Russa ordered an intentional walk to Gary Sheffield, loading the bases.

With right-hander Gene Stechschulte warming up and Lo Duca, who bats right-handed, coming up, La Russa stuck with Kline. Lo Duca walked on four pitches, forcing home Beltre.

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