A SMALL STEP; ZEILE, PARK PUT DODGERS CLOSER : DODGERS 6, SAN DIEGO 2.

Byline: Kevin Acee Daily News Staff Writer

A focus, born of desperation, was evident among the Dodgers on Tuesday.

In a bind that had them acknowledging, essentially for the first time this season, that they might not make the playoffs, the Dodgers spoke only of the task at hand.

They spoke in earnest about not being out of the race. They spoke about needing to win every remaining game. They spoke only of things they could control.

If they did not make the playoffs, they at least wanted to make a good account of themselves in the season's final week.

But they'd be damned if they were going to give a darn about how the Giants were doing in Colorado.

While the Dodger Stadium scoreboard periodically flashed the Giants score and the roar from the 45,711 in attendance let it be known the Rockies were winning, the Dodgers did indeed see to their own business.

On the rare night in which there was a pitching and a hitting hero, the Dodgers beat the San Diego Padres 6-2 in the second-to-last home game of the season.

Todd Zeile hit two solo home runs, and Chan Ho Park pitched his second complete game of the season for the first victory by a Dodgers starting pitcher since Sept. 7.

The victory, coupled with the Rockies' 7-6 victory, moved the Dodgers to within 1-1/2 games of the Giants with five to play. The Giants have four games remaining, one more at Colorado tonight and three against the Padres over the weekend. The Dodgers finish with the Padres tonight before beginning a four-game series Thursday at Colorado.

``It's got to start tonight,'' manager Bill Russell said before the game. ``. . . We've put ourselves in a situation where we can't lose another game.''

Asked what it would mean to his team if it found out before the game that the Rockies already had a sizable lead on the Giants, Russell responded that it would be nice.

``But we can't worry about that,'' he quickly added.

After a three-game sweep by the Rockies over the weekend, many Dodgers admitted they had spent too much time and energy watching the scoreboard to see how the Giants were doing.

The Dodgers started right away Tuesday. Back-to-back doubles by Mike Piazza and Eric Karros accounted for a run in the first inning.

After the Padres took a 2-1 lead in the second, Zeile hit his first home run out of left-center field to start the Dodgers' half of the second and tie the game.

They went up 3-2 in the fifth when Darren Lewis led off with his second single of the game, stole second and scored on Otis Nixon's two-out single. Karros' first home run in September scored Piazza and accounted for the final margin.

Park, unable to get his 14th win in four prior tries, pretty much cruised to it on Tuesday. He was on damage control just twice, as he scattered seven hits. He got out of the first inning after a leadoff single and a hit batter. He stranded runners at first and second in the fourth.

The Padres scored their only two runs in the second inning on Wally Joyner's leadoff single and a line-drive home run out of center field by John Flaherty.

After allowing Tony Gwynn's career-high 218th hit of the season, a single to right field in the eighth inning, Park (14-8) received the crowd's support. As Russell walked to the mound, boos rained down. But after a quick consultation, Russell sprinted back to the dugout with Park still on the mound. He rewarded his manager's trust by getting Ken Caminiti to fly out to left field to end the inning.

CAPTION(S):

2 Photos

Photo: (1--color) The Padres' Tony Gwynn is struck by a broken bat on a ball hit by Ken Caminiti to Eric Karros.

(2) The Dodgers' Todd Zeile is greeted by Greg Gagne in the second inning after the first of his two home runs against the Padres. It tied the game at 2-2.

Myung J. Chun / Daily News