Three for One Is a Good Deal

The biggest concern about the flurry of trades that altered the look of the Dodgers last weekend was how they would affect the chemistry of a tight-knit group that had played its way into first place in the National League West.

The San Diego Padres and San Francisco Giants are still wondering when that concern will become an issue.

The Dodgers continued to pressure their division rivals Thursday by hitting a season-high five home runs -- two by Milton Bradley, and three in succession in the first inning -- in defeating the less-than-imposing Pittsburgh Pirates at Dodger Stadium, 8-3.

Critics of the trades wondered about the necessity of breaking up a first-place team. But the reconstituted Dodgers have won in four in a row and hold a season-high 6 1/2 -game lead over the Padres and a 7 1/2 -game advantage over the Giants.

“You play baseball with whatever you got,” Bradley said. “I think we’re the same, if not better than we were before. We’re showing that.”

After struggling against established major league pitchers the last four games, the Dodgers were glad to see rookie left-hander Sean Burnett on the mound.

They spotted the Pirates a run in the top of the first inning, then treated Burnett rudely before the 38,852 in attendance could get comfortable in their seats. After leadoff hitter Cesar Izturis had walked,left fielder Jayson Werth hit a two-run homer into the right-field pavilion.

Bradley jumped on the next pitch from Burnett and hit it to nearly the same spot. Adrian Beltre followed with his 30th homer, a career high, to left field, marking the second time this season the Dodgers have hit three consecutive home runs.

“A lot of stuff was working but my location was off on a few pitches,” Burnett said. “I kind of figured it couldn’t get any worse than that, so I might as well settle down.”

Jeff Weaver (9-10) cruised with all the run support. He gave up two runs and five hits in seven innings and struck out five, throwing 103 pitches, 77 for strikes.

Acquired with reliever Yhency Brazoban in a trade last December that sent Kevin Brown to the New York Yankees, the right-hander has gone six innings or more in 18 of 23 starts. He has given up three earned runs or fewer in each of his last nine starts.

“Classic Weaver,” Pirate shortstop Jack Wilson said. “His ball still moves like Nintendo.”

Weaver retired the last 10 batters he faced and didn’t give up a hit after the fourth inning. After Randall Simon and Jason Bay had singled to start the fourth, he limited the damage in the inning to Bobby Hill’s run-scoring grounder that cut the lead to 4-2.

“It was another solid performance for him,” Manager Jim Tracy said. “I think you’re beginning to see his ability to handle situations when the opposition creates run-scoring opportunities for themselves.

”... In the last couple of starts, he’s done a terrific job of” damage control. The Dodgers, who have won 16 of 21 since the All-Star break, put it away in the fifth. Bradley led off with a home run into the left-field stands, making the game his third multi-homer effort this season and second in six games.

Catcher David Ross later added a run-scoring single after the Pirates had intentionally walked Jose Hernandez. Izturis drew a bases-loaded walk for a 7-2 lead, and Hernandez added a solo homer in the seventh.

“A lot of people that thought we were going to fall on our face weren’t in this clubhouse,” Weaver said. “Everybody in here knows the players we’ve got.”

Ross said the Dodgers’ dramatic 2-1, 12-inning victory over San Diego on Sunday might have been the biggest of the season. Since then, they have gained three games in the standings.

The Padres have “got to look at the scoreboard and see that we got a win,” he said. “I would be looking if I was in their shoes.

“It’s a nice situation for us to be in.”