Few Offensive Options for Tracy

In a familiar story for Manager Jim Tracy, the Dodgers had only five hits Friday in a 3-1 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies at Veterans Stadium.

Tracy doesn’t know what else to try to jump-start the club so late in the season.

“You’ve got guys to hit in the middle of your order, and those are the guys that have to do it for you, it’s that simple,” he said. “I don’t know if you can overhaul it to the point that you’ve got guys scattered all over the place. This is a very important time of the year, where they want to come into this clubhouse and see stability.

“They want to see the lineup, and know this is the way we do it when we face a lefty, and this is the way we’re going to do it when we face a [right-hander]. Especially when you’re 109 games into the season. There’s not a lot to overhaul. There’s not a lot of different directions that you can go in.”

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The club purchased the contract of right-handed pitcher Kevin Beirne from triple-A Las Vegas and optioned left-hander Victor Alvarez to Las Vegas.

General Manager Dan Evans said the move was made because a starter for the 51s is better suited to pitch earlier in games than Alvarez. The Dodgers might need Beirne to provide support for Kazuhisa Ishii today or Omar Daal on Sunday, because they’re pitching on short rest as a result of the team using seven pitchers in Thursday’s 6-4, 13-inning loss to the Cincinnati Reds.

Beirne was 10-3 with a 4.15 earned-run average for Las Vegas. Alvarez had an 11.57 ERA without a decision in two appearances for the Dodgers.

TODAY

DODGERS’

KAZUHISA ISHII

(12-7, 3.87 ERA)

vs.

PHILLIES’

JOE ROA

(0-1, 4.76 ERA)

Veterans Stadium, Philadelphia, 10:15 a.m. PDT

TV--Channel 11.

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

Update--Ishii is starting on three days’ rest after throwing 72 pitches and working only 2 2/3 innings Tuesday in a 12-4 loss to the Reds. He walked eight and gave up a season-high six earned runs. Roa was 14-0 with a 1.86 earned-run average for the Phillies’ triple-A affiliate this season.