BATS ALIVE IN THE BELL SPREE BELTRE, RESERVES SPARK WIN OVER GIANTS DODGERS 6, S.F. 0.

Byline: Brian Dohn Staff Writer

SAN FRANCISCO - Left fielder Brian Jordan and first baseman Fred McGriff were both on the bench with injuries.

Now, if Dodgers manager Jim Tracy opts to bench Shawn Green, perhaps the Dodgers would reach double digits in runs.

A makeshift lineup with 30-something castoffs set the stage, and embattled third baseman Adrian Beltre belted a three-run homer as the Dodgers' offense exploded - well, at least for this team - with four runs in the third inning and coasted to a 6-0 win over the first-place San Francisco Giants on Wednesday at Pac Bell Park.

The usually stagnant offense banged out 16 hits, led by utility player Jolbert Cabrera's two singles and a double.

The victory pulled the Dodgers within a game of the Giants in the National League West and helped avoid a three-game sweep. It was the Dodgers' first win in six attempts at Pac Bell this season, and the six runs marked the second time in the past 28 games they scored more than five times.

And the reserves played a big role.

McGriff is on the disabled list with a strained groin and Jordan was a late scratch with a sore patella tendon. So Ron Coomer, 36, and Mike Kinkade, 30, who replaced McGriff and Jordan, respectively, went a combined 4 for 7 with a homer and two RBI. Both were on base three times.

Green, perhaps inspired by the performance of Kinkade and Coomer, had two hits.

Dodgers right-hander Hideo Nomo (9-6) bolstered his chances for second All-Star appearance with seven innings of two-hit ball. Nomo allowed a second-inning double to Andres Galarraga and leadoff double to Francisco Santos to begin the sixth. He uncharacteristically walked one and struck out seven.

Nomo, who has won 11 of his last 13 decisions against the Giants, was victorious for the third consecutive start and has a 0.95 ERA in his past four games. His 2.41 ERA is third in the National League.

The victory came after Tracy held another closed-door meeting to stress the importance of recognizing the situation, and grasping what is within reach.

Among the topics Tracy wanted to get across was the Dodgers, starting the day, were two games out of first place. And while nobody is really charting the wild-card race yet, the Dodgers technically lead it.

He also stressed the significance of having quality at-bats with runners in scoring position, especially given the Dodgers' ineptitude on offense. The pitching staff leads baseball with a 2.85 ERA, but the offense was averaging 3.5 runs a game.

``You're being held captive a little bit due to the fact that offensively, in run-producing situations, we must put better at-bats on the opposition,'' Tracy said. ``The thing that is still lacking for me is consistent, quality at-bats in run-producing situations.

``We discussed it. You bring things to light, and what individuals want to do with them or how they like to address it, that's up to them.''

It didn't start out like the Dodgers would heed Tracy's words when Coomer grounded out with the bases loaded in the first. Giants starter Damian Moss (7-6) hit Green and Kinkade with pitches to load the bases, but Coomer chased Moss' first pitch and grounded to second.

Cesar Izturis gave the Dodgers a 1-0 lead in the second with a bases-loaded single off second baseman Ray Durham's glove, but Paul Lo Duca hit into a double play to end the inning.

However, things changed in the third.

Green, who was 1 for 8 in the first two losses of the series, got a hustling double on a ball hit to shallow center. Kinkade singled to left and Coomer made it 2-0 with a single to left. Beltre then knocked Moss out of the game by smacking a three-run homer deep into the left-field bleachers to make it 5-0.

Kinkade made it 6-0 in the seventh inning with a solo homer to left, his third of the season.

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(color) Adrian Beltre's three-run home run off Giants pitcher Damian Moss was the big blow in the Dodgers' 6-0 victory Wednesday.

Ben Margot/Associated Press