Team Wins as Underdog

Despite leading the National League West by 2 1/2 games at the All-Star break in 2002, the Dodgers failed to qualify for the playoffs for the sixth consecutive season.

This season, the Dodgers went 11-26 after being tied atop the division with the San Francisco Giants on June 22. They’re now in third place, 12 1/2 games behind the Giants, and focusing on the NL wild-card berth.

But the Dodgers have played well since going 2-7 on a disappointing trip that seemingly ended their hopes of winning the division.

They’ve pulled within 3 1/2 games of wild-card co-leaders Florida and Philadelphia, and begin a four-game series against the Marlins tonight at Pro Player Stadium. So, are the Dodgers in a better position when they’re trailing?

“I wouldn’t say it’s a better position, but we play better,” center fielder Dave Roberts said. “History shows that when we do have a lead in a race, we tend to relinquish it. We tend to play better as underdogs.”

The Dodgers cite extenuating circumstances, such as injuries to the pitching staff.

“The troubles that we’ve had late in the year with injuries to the staff, for the last couple of years, makes it hard to make a big push,” right fielder Shawn Green said. “We had a couple of starters from triple A in the rotation the last month of the season [in 2002], and that’s not easy.”

The Dodgers hope that they have finally learned how to win.

“There’s definitely something about knowing how to win,” Roberts said. “That’s why some teams are perennial winners, because there’s something to it.

“In Los Angeles, we haven’t won [a World Series title] since 1988. When we’ve gotten there [into first place] recently, it’s almost like, ‘OK, what do we do now?’ ”

But at least the Dodgers don’t quit, they said.

“It has been a frustrating year for a lot of people, but to put ourselves back into wild-card contention, it does say something about us,” Roberts said. “As bad as we’ve played, one thing I can say about us is we haven’t quit. We don’t quit.”

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Closer Eric Gagne recently told Manager Jim Tracy that he is prepared to pitch as many as “six or seven days in a row, if that’s what it takes” to help the Dodgers earn the NL wild-card berth.

Tracy may take him up on his offer.

“I’ll consider it,” Tracy said. “I’ll consider anything at this point of the year, without compromising the individual.”

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Kazuhisa Ishii (strained left knee) threw 38 pitches in a bullpen session and will be re-evaluated today, a team spokesman said. Ishii is expected to be activated from the disabled list to start Thursday against the Marlins.... Cleanup batter Jeromy Burnitz was 0 for 4 with three strikeouts in Sunday’s 3-1 loss to the Cubs. Burnitz is in a four-for-46 slump.... In his first series against his former team, Cub first baseman Eric Karros went hitless in 10 at-bats with three strikeouts.... Backup catcher Todd Hundley, who has played in only 12 games and is rehabilitating from back surgery, continues to make progress, Tracy said.... In auctions, the Dodgers raised almost $50,000 for the Dodger Dream Foundation.

ON DECK

Opponent -- Florida Marlins, four games.

Site -- Pro Player Stadium.

TV -- ESPN2 on Wednesday.

Radio -- KFWB (980), KWKW (1330).

Records -- Dodgers 60-56, Marlins 64-53.

Record vs. Marlins -- 3-0.

Tonight, 4 PDT -- Odalis Perez (7-9, 4.52) vs. Dontrelle Willis(11-2, 2.56).

Tuesday, 4 p.m. -- Hideo Nomo (13-9, 2.73) vs. Josh Beckett (5-6, 3.29).

Wednesday, 4 p.m. -- Andy Ashby (3-9, 5.20) vs. Carl Pavano (9-10, 4.35).

Thursday, 10:30 a.m. -- Kazuhisa Ishii (9-5, 3.35) vs. Mark Redman (10-5, 2.82).