[0] ANOTHER DODGERS STARTER FLOUNDERS ON THE MOUND : HOUSTON 11, DODGERS 3.

Byline: Brian Dohn Daily News Staff Writer

Dodgers left-hander Carlos Perez lasted 3-1/3 innings against the Houston Astros, which is indicative of the state of the supposed strength of the Dodgers.

On nights Kevin Brown isn't on the mound, the Dodgers' starters aren't pitching very well or deep into games. Starters not named Brown haven't thrown a pitch in the eighth inning this month.

Only Chan Ho Park finished the seventh inning, which he's done twice.

``If you asked me (in March), in the middle of May what would I be worried about, and you said the starting pitching not giving me enough innings, I'd say you were crazy,'' Dodgers manager Davey Johnson said before L.A. lost to Houston 11-3 Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium.

The Dodgers' offense - little as it was - came courtesy of Raul Mondesi, who hit his 14th homer of the season, a three-run shot in the sixth. Mondesi was matched by Houston first baseman Jeff Bagwell, who hit his 11th homer, went 3 for 4 and had three RBI.

Ahead of starting pitching on Johnson's spring training checklist was the bullpen, the second slot in the batting order, the health of catcher Todd Hundley's elbow, some golf in Vero Beach, maybe some fishing, how the Dodgers would perform during the equinox. . .

With Brown, Park, Ismael Valdes, Perez and Darren Dreifort in the rotation - not to mention Dave Mlicki as an insurance policy - getting innings out of the starters wasn't a concern.

Now, it is.

Brown is the only starter with an ERA under three at 2.75. Valdes (4-1, 3.40) is off to his best start but blisters have limited his innings.

Meanwhile, Dreifort (4.61), Perez (6.63) and Park (5.32) have all been hit hard lately. Other than Brown, the Dodgers' starters have averaged less than six innings per outing. In turn, it hasn't allowed Johnson to set his bullpen up to utilize Alan Mills as a bridge between the starter and closer Jeff Shaw.

Without question, Perez has been the biggest disappointment, a trend that continued against the National League Central leading Astros. They entered the night feasting on left-handed pitching, hitting .362 against southpaws, and they devoured Perez.

It took them an inning to get their timing on Perez, who was chased before the fifth inning for the second time in six starts. Perez lasted 4-1/3 innings in another start.

Perez (1-5) gave up six runs (four earned) on five hits and the Dodgers trailed 6-0 before they had three hits off Houston starter Jose Lima (7-1).

The Astros took a 1-0 lead in the second inning when Lima singled to score Russ Johnson.

Houston then hit Perez hard in the third inning. Bagwell began the three-run inning with a one-out solo homer to left field, his 15th hit in 35 at-bats (.429) against lefties. Three batters later catcher Tony Eusebio hit a two-run homer as Houston went ahead 4-0.

It was Eusebio's first homer of the season, a 435-foot blast into the bleachers.

The Astros added two runs in the fourth, helped along by third baseman Adrian Beltre's fielding error on Tim Bogar's grounder. After a walk to Craig Biggio, Johnson lifted Perez in favor of Dreifort.

Before Johnson reached the mound Perez was off it. He flipped the ball to Johnson, headed to the dugout to grab his jacket and walked straight up the tunnel. Dreifort then yielded a two-run double to Bagwell as the Astros increased their lead to 6-0.

Mondesi drew the Dodgers within 6-3, but the Astros peppered right-handed reliever Jamie Arnold for five more runs in the eighth inning. Pinch-hitter Bill Spiers had a two-run double and Derek Bell drove in two runs with a single.

The only good news for the Dodgers?

Brown pitches today.

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2 Photos

PHOTO (1--Color) Dodgers starter Carlos Perez didn't last past the fourth inning in Tuesday's loss.

(2) Raul Mondesi, who later homered, bobbles the ball in the third inning of the Astros' win at Dodger Stadium..

Gus Ruelas/Daily News