[0] PROKOPEC KEEPS 'EM GUESSING DODGERS 4, PHILADELPHIA 3.

Byline: Jill Painter Staff Writer

Luke Prokopec isn't going to make this decision easy for the Dodgers.

Prokopec could be sent back to Triple-A Las Vegas once Andy Ashby comes off the disabled list. Not that the Dodgers won't wrestle with this one.

The 23-year-old Australian right-hander has been a welcome addition to the starting rotation, and he had another solid outing Friday against the first-place Philadelphia Phillies. He struck out five, walked none and tossed a six-hitter through seven innings.

Prokopec says he's just trying to keep the Dodgers in the game and that's exactly what he's done.

He left Friday's game tied 3-3 and let the Dodgers' offense do the rest. Alex Cora hit a one-out sacrifice fly to left field in the bottom of the ninth to lead the Dodgers to a 4-3 win Friday at Dodger Stadium in front of a crowd of 40,643.

The win, coupled with losses by Colorado and Arizona, put the Dodgers into first place in the NL West.

In the decisive ninth inning, Dave Hansen - making his season debut since being activated off the disabled list - hit a double to right field and Angel Pena dropped down a sacrifice bunt to move him to third. Phillies reliever Wayne Gomes fielded the bunt, looked to third and probably would've recorded the out but changed his mind, instead turning to throw out Pena at first.

Cora's shot to left field was deep enough to allow Hansen to jog home from third for the winning run.

``This was a great baseball game to win, not only to win but the way we won,'' Dodgers manager Jim Tracy said.

Prokopec didn't figure into the decision but he definitely figures to make the Dodgers' decision difficult. And with the their makeshift lineup - the Dodgers missed Gary Sheffield and Mark Grudzielanek for the second consecutive day because of injuries - another gem from Prokopec was necessary.

Prokopec won his first two starts with a 1.98 ERA. He hasn't walked a batter in 20 2/3 innings and has 17 strikeouts. Prokopec's only blemishes Friday were a pair of home runs by Pat Burrell and Marlon Anderson.

Shawn Green had a pair of run-scoring singles and Tom Goodwin had another. But Hansen's double and Pena's bunt proved to be the most critical.

With the scored tied at 3-3 in the eighth, the Dodgers couldn't capitalize with runners in scoring position. Eric Karros doubled down the left-field line off Gomes with two outs. Jeff Reboulet, who drew a walk, moved to third but Marquis Grissom - who was ahead in 3 and 0 in the count - struck out to a chorus of boos from the fans.

Goodwin hit a bloop single in the fifth inning with one out to score Cora, who led off with a double, to give the Dodgers a 3-2 lead. But Goodwin tried to stretch it into a double and was out easily at second for the second out.

In the first inning, Jeff Reboulet, making his second consecutive start at second base, doubled to left field and Green's run-scoring single gave the Dodgers a 1-0 lead. Karros grounded into a double play to end the inning.

With two outs in the third, Green singled to right to score Cora from second, giving the Dodgers a 2-1 lead. Karros struck out looking to end the inning.

Burrell hit his third home run of the year on an 0-2 count off Prokopec in the fourth inning. The shot to left tied the game 2-2. Anderson, batting eighth, hit a home run to center field on a changeup to tie the game at 3 in the seventh. Prokopec has surrendered three home runs in three starts.

Paul LoDuca returned as a pinch hitter after a hamstring injury.