Grabowski Proves He’s the Right Match

Jason Grabowski, noting Jim Tracy’s penchant for filling out his lineup card based on matchups, acknowledged that there’s not a lot of history for his manager to rely on when Tracy tries to find a spot for an outfielder with 45 major league at-bats.

“I don’t have a lot of guys I match up against,” Grabowski said Tuesday afternoon at Dodger Stadium before facing the Chicago Cubs’ Kerry Wood for the first time in his career. “I’ll just try to make the most of the opportunities.”

Grabowski did exactly that in only his third start of the season, collecting a career-high three hits, including a towering two-run homer to right in the second inning that helped boost the Dodgers to a 7-3 victory in front of 35,439.

Jeff Weaver pitched eight innings for the first time this season and Adrian Beltre extended his hitting streak to 14 games with his 10th home run as the Dodgers won their fifth consecutive game and extended their lead over the San Diego Padres to three games in the National League West.

Grabowski was at the center of a Dodger offense that backed Weaver for a change after averaging 2.67 runs over his first six starts.

One batter after Beltre homered to right-center over leaping Cub right fielder Sammy Sosa in the second to tie the score, 1-1, Grabowski whacked a Wood fastball for his first career homer to put the Dodgers ahead for good.

“I don’t consider that a cheapie,” Grabowski said.

When Tracy now checks Grabowski’s statistics against Wood, he will see a 1.000 batting average with one home run and two runs batted in in one at-bat.

Wood had to leave after two innings as a precautionary measure because of tightness in his right triceps.

Grabowski, playing in left field because Dave Roberts is on the disabled list with a strained right hamstring, also singled to left-center in the fourth and singled through the right side of the infield in the fifth. He finished three for four to lift his batting average from .138 to .212.

“Grabowski’s batting average is not indicative of the type of at-bats he’s given us whether as a starting player or a pinch-hitter,” Tracy said.

Said Grabowski: “I’m finally hitting some balls hard that are finding some holes.”

Weaver (2-4), who won for the first time since April 18, singled twice to bolster the Dodgers’ 15-hit attack and raise his batting average to .313. He gave up six hits and two runs, striking out seven and walking one while throwing 117 pitches.

“I’ve felt like this the last few outings,” said Weaver, who has pitched at least seven innings in each of his last four starts.

Duaner Sanchez relieved Weaver to start the ninth and gave up a run on Aramis Ramirez’s double to right-center before retiring the next three batters.

After Grabowski’s homer had given them a 3-1 lead, the Dodgers padded their advantage with three runs off reliever Glendon Rusch in the fourth on Paul Lo Duca’s two-run single to right-center and Milton Bradley’s run-scoring groundout.

Juan Encarnacion made it 7-1 in the fifth when he reached on an infield single, went to second on Grabowski’s single and scored on Alex Cora’s single to right.

“The more at-bats I get,” Grabowski said, “the more comfortable I’ll feel.”

A rare error by right fielder Encarnacion helped the Cubs score a run in the sixth. Todd Walker led off with a ground-rule double to left-center and went to third one out later on Sosa’s single to right. Encarnacion lost his handle on the ball as he attempted to throw the ball back into the infield, allowing Walker to race home and close the gap to 7-2.

Beltre had to leave the game after the seventh because of a sore right ankle. His status for today is unknown.