ASTACIO, DODGERS PITCHERS ARE SHOULDERING THE LOAD : DODGERS 6, FLORIDA 3.

Byline: Tim Brown Daily News Staff Writer

Apparently, the pitching staff has tired in its endless wait for offense. After nearly two-thirds of the season, it has stumbled onto the realization that the runs might never come. That they probably won't. Either way, it's not a bad attitude to have.

``Our pitchers, whether we like it or not,'' Dodgers closer Todd Worrell said, ``are going to have to stand up if we want to keep the team on a winning foot.

``The difference in our team, when we get going, is our pitching.''

And so the pitchers are going again.

The Dodgers defeated the Florida Marlins 6-3 Thursday night at Joe Robbie Stadium, because starter Pedro Astacio pitched 8-1/3 sturdy innings. The Dodgers won two of three games here because their starters allowed seven runs in 20-1/3 innings, and because their relievers allowed no runs in 5-2/3 innings.

In the game they lost to the Marlins, the Dodgers scored no runs, the kind of thing for which the pitching staff has little defense.

Astacio was strong for his fifth consecutive start, and for that, everyone, including Astacio, is breathing easier. In fact, the breathing has a lot to do with it.

The old Astacio - inconsistent, emotional, easily distracted - had the ability, if not the composure, to do what he did against the Marlins. The new Astacio - fairly cool, mostly collected, marginally steely - has all of that to go with his usual fastball, changeup and curveball.

In his last five starts, he has allowed nine runs in 36-1/3 innings. As is his lot, he has won just twice, though that is primarily related to a lack of run support.

``I think he's been in the last month our best pitcher,'' said Worrell, who got the final two outs for his 25th save. ``Start for start, Pedro's been the man for us on the mound. He's been picking up the team and keeping us from sliding too far.''

On a staff with the high profiles of Ramon Martinez, Hideo Nomo, Ismael Valdes and Tom Candiotti, Astacio rarely receives such praise. But he is changed. Whereas before his style bordered on hyperventilation, now he is attempting decorum.

Not long after he allowed seven runs in five innings on a June 27 start in Colorado, a place of much soul-searching among pitchers, Astacio was cornered by Dodgers coaches, who asked him, basically, to calm his emotions and speed his delivery.

Hitting coach Reggie Smith taught him to breathe as a martial artist does, and told him that hitters love to stand around and think about the next pitch they will hit.

Third-base coach Joey Amalfitano told him that baserunners get better jumps off slow-moving pitchers and that defenders become weary and dull behind the same. Pitching coach Dave Wallace told him about adrenaline, about a quicker rhythm, about tempo.

``It doesn't matter how we get on that plane,'' Wallace said, ``as long as we get there. I think it allows him a better thought process.''

Astacio is 5-7, despite 16 quality starts. He has allowed two or fewer runs in 11 of his 21 starts.

``I go hard on the mound every time,'' said Astacio, who off the field is quite subdued. ``Tonight I threw the ball good, made some good pitches. Throwing strikes is the No. 1 part.''

That's about all anyone ever gets out of Astacio, who, like a good fifth starter, is seen and not heard.

``That's what usually happens to the fifth guy, they don't get any recognition,'' interim Dodgers manager Bill Russell said. ``He's really come on since the Colorado series.

``The big difference was when he sped up his delivery. He has his confidence up just by changing that little thing.''

Four early runs by the Dodgers didn't hurt. Off Marlins left-hander Chris Hammond (3-6), whose first-inning ERA is 17.00, Eric Karros hit a three-run homer - in the first inning. The Dodgers scored again in the second on a two-out double by Wayne Kirby. Astacio, in the meantime, allowed one hit through 5-1/3 innings.

Tom Prince, who started in place of an exhausted and battered Mike Piazza, drove in a run with a suicide squeeze in the sixth, and Todd Hollandsworth hit a two-out, run-scoring double in the ninth.

It was more than Astacio needed. Probably more than he expected.

CAPTION(S):

2 Photos

Photo: (1--color) Greg Gagne is forced out at third base during Dodgers' 6-3 victory at Florida.

(2) Florida's Edgar Renteria dives for a ball hit by the Dodgers' Wayne Kirby in the fifth inning.

Associated Press