Hitting Their Sweep Spot

It was another great all-around experience Sunday for the Dodgers in a 6-2 victory over Colorado at Coors Field.

Adrian Beltre had his second four-hit, three-RBI game of the series and the Dodgers completed a three-game sweep of the reeling Rockies before 24,553.

Shawn Green hit his second home run in as many days and 14th of the season, Fred McGriff contributed three hits and the Dodgers had their third day of extended batting practice, totaling 15 hits.

Starter Wilson Alvarez pitched seven solid innings, overcoming his distaste for working in launching-pad conditions. And Eric Gagne again capitalized on an opportunity to influence Cy Young Award voters.

Manager Jim Tracy quickly turned to baseball’s most dominant closer when an unwanted save situation emerged in the ninth inning.

After entering with two on and none out, Gagne needed only 10 pitches to retire the side, getting Todd Helton for the final out and his major league-leading 49th save.

Gagne also extended his consecutive save record to 57, capping a confidence-building weekend for the Dodgers, who remain three games behind Philadelphia for the National League wild-card berth.

“What we just accomplished, it’s not an easy thing do,” Tracy said of sweeping the Rockies, who have lost eight in a row and 21 of 26.

“We’re beginning to see some very positive things from the middle of the order. Beltre again today; Fred McGriff and Shawn Green had very good at-bats.

“We’ve stayed around in this thing all year long, and we’re a solid team. We were a solid team even when we weren’t hitting. We’re an excellent team, and when we get offense like that, we can utilize our pitching staff.”

Alvarez (4-1) gave up eight hits and only one run. After working five innings in his first career start at Coors Field on July 13, the left-hander acknowledged he didn’t like pitching here.

“The ball wasn’t carrying as much today,” said Alvarez, who threw 66 strikes in 90 pitches. “They got on base, but I made good pitches and it worked out.

“I located the ball, and that’s a big key for me. I don’t have that 90-plus fastball anymore. I need to locate the ball and hit my spots, and that’s what I did.”

The Dodgers (75-66) had 45 hits and scored 24 runs in the series. Beltre was the catalyst, going nine for 15 with two home runs and six runs batted in.

On Sunday, Beltre finished a homer short of the cycle after singling, doubling and tripling in his first three at-bats. He struck out in his fourth time at the plate and singled in the ninth.

Green also enjoyed facing the Rockies (65-79), going five for 19 with seven RBIs. He had a run-scoring single in the Dodgers’ two-run first against Colorado starter Jose Jimenez (1-8), and in the ninth hit his fourth homer since the All-Star break.

The Dodgers have the league’s worst offense, so the show was impressive. But was it the Dodgers or Coors Field?

“I think it’s a combination,” Green said. “We’re definitely swinging better. The series is huge for us, not only to win the three games, but also to get a lot of hits and score a lot of runs.”

But they didn’t score enough to keep Gagne in the bullpen.

With one out in the eighth, Helton hit his 29th homer against Tom Martin to cut the lead to 5-2. Paul Quantrill entered and got the final two outs. Green’s home run in the ninth gave the Dodgers a four-run lead, giving Tracy hope that Paul Shuey would finish the game, giving Gagne consecutive days off before a four-game series against Arizona at Bank One Ballpark. It didn’t work out that way.

Juan Uribe led off with a double and Mark Bellhorn walked. That was it for Shuey.

Gagne struck out pinch-hitters Mark Sweeney and Gregg Zaun. Helton flied out to Wilkin Ruan, and Gagne had done it again.

“The thing that I was most pleased about was the manner in which he put that inning down -- three outs on throwing 10 pitches,” Tracy said. “With where we’re going the next four days, he’ll get some use there, we’re very hopeful of that.”

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*--* Left-Handed Complement Since becoming a regular member of the Dodger rotation on Aug. 9, left-hander Wilson Alvarez has pitched very well. A look at his starts: Date (opp.) IP H ER BB SO W-L ERA Aug. 9 (Cubs) 7 4 0 0 6 W 0.00 Aug. 13 (at Marlins) 6 4 1 1 8 ND 1.50 Aug. 20 (Expos) 7 3 0 2 6 ND 0.00 Aug. 28 (at Astros) 4 2/3 6 3 2 7 ND 5.79 Sept. 2 (Astros) 5 6 1 1 2 W 1.80 Sept. 7 (at Rockies) 7 8 1 1 2 W 1.29 Totals 36 2/3 31 6 7 31 3-0 1.47

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