Perez Leaves ‘Em Hanging

Manager Jim Tracy has appeared uncomfortable when questioned about his plans for the Dodger playoff rotation, saying it would be premature to discuss the topic.

The rotation’s recent performance might also have contributed to his uneasiness.

Shaky since the beginning of the month, the unsettled group suffered another setback Monday night in a 9-7 loss to the San Diego Padres in front of 36,050 at Dodger Stadium.

Odalis Perez struggled for the third time in as many starts as the National League West leaders dropped to 83-60, losing the opener of a four-game series against the third-place Padres (77-67).

The left-hander lasted only four innings, stirring questions about his pitching arm. Perez experienced biceps soreness before his previous start Wednesday against Arizona but was cleared to pitch.

Meanwhile, the Dodger rotation has a 6.19 earned-run average and only four quality starts in 12 games in September, during which the team is 6-6.

Kazuhisa Ishii has been demoted to the bullpen because of his erratic performance, Jeff Weaver was hit hard in his last two starts, Hideo Nomo has a team-high 7.73 ERA and Perez has a 7.07 ERA in his last three outings.

No wonder Tracy has avoided the subject.

“We haven’t had very good outings from a starting pitching standpoint” recently, Tracy said. “The thing that we need over the course of the next few days is to get our starting pitching to where they pitch us deep into the game.

“Hopefully, we can have a couple of times where we can go right from a starter to Yhency Brazoban and then to [Eric] Gagne. We haven’t see a whole lot of that the last few days.”

The Dodgers hold a 4 1/2 -game lead over second-place San Francisco in the division and are confident about their chances of reaching and succeeding in the playoffs, but the rotation has become a big concern.

“We have been playing a lot of catch-up,” Tracy said. “We need to get a couple of real good starts.”

The Padres took command, 5-0, in a five-run fourth Monday against Perez (6-5). They sent 10 batters to the plate and had four hits, including Phil Nevin’s 24th homer, and also benefited from three walks, a wild pitch and an error.

“I have no idea what went wrong,” Perez said. “I felt 100%. I felt good in the bullpen. In the fourth inning ... I don’t really know what happened.”

The Dodgers have been among the best in the game at fighting back this season and they did again.

Shawn Green helped them get back into it after receiving another pregame pep talk from Tom Lasorda, hitting his 24th and 25th homers against Padre starter David Wells (11-7). Jayson Werth hit his 14th homer and second in two games.

However, Werth’s two-run blast and Green’s fourth multihomer game of the season and 27th of his career weren’t enough to overcome Perez and the Dodger bullpen. Ramon Hernandez led off the Padre sixth with his 15th homer, against Elmer Dessens, after Werth’s homer in the fifth had cut San Diego’s lead to 5-3.

Nevin connected again for his 25th homer -- a three-run blast -- in the seventh against Scott Stewart, pushing the lead to 9-4. However, the Dodgers put together a three-run rally in their half of the inning and chased Wells.

Cesar Izturis, Werth and Adrian Beltre contributed run-scoring singles as the Dodgers pulled to within 9-7 and loaded the bases with two out.

The fans stood and applauded as Tracy summoned Robin Ventura, the major leagues’ active leader with 18 grand slams (third all-time), to hit for Stewart. But Akinori Otsuka struck out Ventura to end the inning.

Otsuka struck out four in two strong innings. Closer Trevor Hoffman Hoffman struck out the side in the ninth for his 36th save, ending a 3-hour 31-minute game. The Padres trail San Francisco by two games in the NL wild-card race.

“As far as the division is concerned, we have to sweep,” Nevin said of trying to overtake the Dodgers. “As far as the wild card, we have to win every series the rest of the year. That’s the way it is.”

*

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

Green Days

A day after his seven-game hitting streak ended, Shawn Green came back to hit two home runs Monday against the Padres. A look at Green’s recent numbers:

* Last nine games: Green is batting .424 (14 for 33).

* Green has reached base safely via hit or walk in 19 of his last 21 games, during which he is batting .311 (23 for 74).

* His two RBIs Monday give him 77 this season, his fourth consecutive season with at least that many RBIs.

Note: Green became the first Dodger to reach that plateau in four consecutive seasons since Eric Karros accomplished the feat for six seasons from 1995-2000.