ALL THE PARTS DO THEIR PART MANY CHIP IN AS L.A.'S WINNING STREAK HITS SIX DODGERS 8, MILWAUKEE 6.

Byline: Matt McHale Staff Writer

This time it was bruised ribs and grass stains, not the steely brilliance of Chan Ho Park from the night before.

But in many ways, Thursday afternoon's 8-6 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers said a lot more about the Dodgers, their six-game winning streak and their narrowing pursuit of first place in the National League West than Park could with Wednesday night's breathless two-hit shutout.

It would have been easy to take off a matinee on the eve of a road trip that opens tonight in Colorado. Instead, new heroes were racing to the plate or off the mound almost every inning.

If it wasn't pinch-hitter Chris Donnels taking a pitch off his thigh with the bases loaded in the fourth to break a 4-4 tie, it was Jeff Reboulet, who came off the bench and slapped a game-winning single in the eighth inning.

It was catcher Paul Lo Duca, who won't remember his three hits, two doubles and two runs but will cherish the three baserunners he threw out to end Brewers rallies.

It was relievers Giovanni Carrara and Matt Herges (8-6), who stopped a runaway game in the middle innings to bail out a shaky Dennis Springer in his first start with the Dodgers.

But most of all it was the collective effort that gave most Dodgers the feeling they could be heading to the postseason for the first time since 1996. The gritty victory almost made two home runs by Gary Sheffield on a gimpy left leg seem like an afterthought.

``When I got to the dugout after giving up the four runs (in the fourth inning), the guys were shouting, 'Well pick you up, well get it back,' '' said Springer, who was called up from Triple-A on Wednesday. ``I've only been here a day, but it is amazing to see how together these guys are.''

Jeff Shaw, who pitched a scoreless ninth to earn his 27th save, said there are plenty of reasons the Dodgers have moved within 1 1/2 games of division-leading Arizona, which split with San Diego on Thursday. But he pointed first to the soothing influence of manager Jim Tracy as the biggest reason for the surge after the All-Star break.

``We used our bullpen a lot today and usually going into a series at Coors Field, you would be concerned,'' Shaw said. ``There are so many runs scored there, no lead is safe. But Trace has used everyone so well that even with the work today, we aren't burned out. We're ready to keep this going.''

It certainly looked that way early when Sheffield greeted Brewers' starter Jamey Wright with a first-inning home run. Sheffield, who left Wednesday's game in the first inning after getting struck on the left leg by a pitch, wasn't going to pass on a chance to face Wright.

After hitting his second homer with two outs in the third inning, Sheffield was 10 for 20 lifetime against Wright with five homers, including a game-winner on opening day in a 1-0 Dodgers' victory.

But Springer had trouble the second time through the Brewers lineup, allowing a home run to Richie Sexson and a two-run single to Henry Blanco in the fourth inning. The game already was getting out of hand and the Brewers, who have dropped 18 of their last 23, seemed in a position to steal a victory.

Eric Karros was struck in the ribs in the fourth, one of four batters hit by pitches during the game. There also was a wild pitch and two passed balls, including one by Blanco in the eighth after Sexson failed to cover first after a dropped strike-three call on Alex Cora.

It would have been the second out and kept David Weathers (2-4) in the game. Instead, Ray King came on and Reboulet won the game with a base hit to left.

Afterward, the Dodgers took their time dressing even though they were flying to Denver just hours later. They are 54-42, 12 games over .500 for the first time since the end of the 1997 season. They are 16-5 in their last 21 games.

``There is still a long way to go in the season,'' Karros said. ``You can't take anything for granted. All you can do is play hard and get everyone involved. That's what is happening right now.''

DODGERS vs. COLORADO

Time: 6:05 p.m., at Coors Field.

TV/Radio: Ch. 5; 1150-AM, 1330-AM (Spanish).

Matchup: The Dodgers open a three-game series tonight against the Colorado Rockies. In the first game, rookie Luke Prokopec (6-4, 3.96) faces former Dodgers left-hander Brian Bohanon (4-5, 6.88).

- Matt McHale

CAPTION(S):

2 photos, 3 boxes, chart

Photo:

(1 -- color) Gary Sheffield touches home plate in the third inning Thursday afternoon after hitting his second home run of the game.

(2) Eric Karros was hit in the ribs by a pitch in the fourth inning, but he stayed in the game.

Hans Gutknecht/Staff Photographer

Box: (1) DODGERS vs. COLORADO (see text)

(2) WILD CARD STANDINGS

(3) ANATOMY OF A HOT STREAK

Chart: ON THE RISE