ANOTHER PAINFUL 1-RUN LOSS LEDEE IS INJURED AND THE DODGERS OFFENSE STRUGGLES.

Byline: TONY JACKSON  Staff Writer

PHOENIX Any question of whether the Dodgers would suffer an emotional hangover from Sunday's epic, ninth-inning collapse in San Diego was quickly laid to rest on Monday night. After all, it's easy to forget one bad moment disaster when the next day brings a whole new batch of them.

First, the Dodgers lost another one-run game, this time 3-2 to the Arizona Diamondbacks in front of before 20,099 fans at Chase Field. Second, they lost several more chances to do something about it, this time stranding six baserunners and going 1 for 6 with runners in scoring position. And third, they lost another player, this time reserve outfielder Ricky Ledee with a strained left groin he suffered while striking out on a checked swing in the seventh inning.

The Dodgers recalled hot-hitting outfielder Andre Ethier from Triple-A Las Vegas to take the roster spot vacated by of Ledee, who was placed went on the 15-day disabled list. Ethier will start tonight in left field, where he will make his major-league debut.

"He's a left-handed hitter who is playing great at Triple-A," Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti said. "Opportunity is knocking, and he's at the door, so we'll see what he can do."

Ethier came to the organization in December, when he was acquired from Oakland in the Milton Bradley trade. In 24 games for the 51s, he was hitting a cool .349 with a .444 on-base percentage and had 13 walks while striking out only 16 times.

All of which suggests Ethier, 24, might be just the balm this festering sore of a Dodgers lineup is looking for.

"We have a couple of guys in that (clubhouse) who are really struggling to get base hits at this time," Dodgers manager Grady Little said. "They're not going to be hitting .190 or .200 all season long, I can promise you that. They know that, and we know that. We'll just be glad when they get started upward."

For now, they are going decidedly downward. So after starter Brad Penny momentarily collapsed in the second inning, failing to retire any of six consecutive batters, including the opposing pitcher, and turning a 2-0 lead into a 3-2 deficit, it was apparent the sputtering Dodgers were done for the evening.

Not that they didn't mount the occasional threat.

J.D. Drew hit what would have been a go-ahead, two-run homer the very next inning, only to have Shawn Green, a player the Dodgers were so eager to get rid of twooffseasons ago that they shelled out $10 million to do it, reach over the right-field wall and pull it back.

Singles by Jeff Kent and Nomar Garciaparra and a walk to Bill Mueller loaded the bases with one out in the sixth, only to have Sandy Alomar, who started behind the plate for the first time in almost two weeks, bounce into a 1-2-3 double play to end the inning.

Finally, Olmedo Saenz lumbered into second base with a bellyflop slide after doubling with two outs in the ninth, only to have Jason Repko ground to short to end the game.

Saenz's hit ended a stretch of nine consecutive batters retired by Arizona pitchers Claudio Vargas (3-1), Luis Vizcaino, Brandon Lyon and Jose Valverde, who earned got his sixth save.

Penny (2-1) was in trouble throughout, but usually managed to escape and wound up going sixinnings. He allowed eight hits and, for the first time this season, struck out none.

After posting a 1.88 ERA in his first four starts, Penny has a 4.15 in his past two.

"I didn't have (my splitter) at all," Penny said. "But it's days like that when you have to battle through it and keep your team in the game."

Penny kept his team in the game, but his team didn't return the favor. The Dodgers (12-14) fell to 2-9 in one-run games and fell to fourth place in the National League West, three games behind division-leading Colorado.

Ledee, meanwhile, is scheduled for an MRI exam today. After checking his swing, he immediately fell to the ground, where he stayed for about a minute. Eventually, he left the field while leaning on trainer Stan Johnston.

Ledee was in such obvious pain after the game that he struggled to raise his left leg long enough to put on his pants.

"Hopefully (today), we'll have a better idea," he said. "But with the way I feel now, I can't imagine being ready to go (anytime soon)."

CAPTION(S):

photo, box

Photo:

Dodgers third baseman Bill Mueller stumbles while attempting to field a ground ball in the fifth inning.

Paul Connors/Associated Press

Box:

DODGERS at ARIZON

-Tony Jackson