[0] NOT VERY SUPPORTIVE DODGERS LOSE, WASTE EFFORT OF PROKOPEC SAN DIEGO 6, DODGERS 2.

Byline: Heather Gripp Staff Writer

Luke Prokopec did his best to give the Dodgers' bullpen a rest. Unfortunately, the team's hitters decided to take one, too.

The Dodgers managed just five hits and stranded four runners in scoring position Saturday against San Diego and lost their second consecutive game to the last-place Padres, this time 6-2 in front of 45,130 at Dodger Stadium.

Prokopec allowed five hits and one earned run in seven innings before being removed because of a blister on the middle finger of his pitching hand. He struck out six, walked two and faced the minimum number of batters in his final three innings.

Prokopec's performance was just what Dodgers manager Jim Tracy had requested.

``We'd like to see quality starts really the next couple, three times if you could get them,'' Tracy said before the game.

His relievers were in need of a break after starting pitchers went more than six innings in just seven of the previous 16 games.

``That's going to put a tremendous load on anybody's bullpen,'' said Tracy, whose point was punctuated by the two runs San Diego scored off reliever Jeff Williams in the eighth inning and another off Al Reyes in the ninth.

Prokopec (6-4) was supported by sound defensive plays such as Alex Cora's sliding stop of Ryan Klesko's fifth-inning grounder in the hole at shortstop, a running catch by right fielder Shawn Green to rob Rickey Henderson of a hit in the third inning and an inning-ending double play started by Cora in the sixth.

However, Prokopec received little run support.

The Dodgers had a chance to tie the game in the fifth inning when Prokopec reached on a two-out, two-base throwing error by Padres starter Brian Lawrence (1-0), but Tom Goodwin grounded out to end the inning. Hiram Bocachica led off the sixth with a hit, but did not advance past second as the next three batters were retired. Goodwin was stranded at second in the eighth inning.

An RBI double by Paul Lo Duca that tied the game 1-1 in the second provided the only brief period in which the Dodgers did not trail.

San Diego regained the lead on two unearned runs in the fourth inning, which started with left fielder Gary Sheffield dropping a ball hit directly to him by Mike Darr for one of four Dodgers' errors in the game. The gaffe allowed Darr to advance to second and score when Ben Davis doubled in the following at-bat. A two-out double by Lawrence - his first major-league hit - scored Davis.

Shawn Green's two-out home run to left in the fourth inning cut the Padres' lead to 3-2.

Prokopec entered the game without a victory since May 26, which also was the last time he went more than six innings or allowed fewer than four runs.

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Photo:

(color) Dodgers' left fielder Shawn Green hits a home run in the fourth inning, but L.A. lost to San Diego at Dodger Stadium on Saturday.

Evan Yee/Staff Photographer