BELTRE ERROR COSTLY DODGERS LOSE GAME, CHANCE TO GAIN GROUND ON GIANTS METS 9, DODGERS 6.

Byline: Matt McHale Staff Writer

So maybe Adrian Beltre wasn't as old as the Dodgers were saying. He certainly aged Sunday afternoon.

Beltre had the ball in his hand and looking at home on a routine rundown play in the eighth inning. It was the kind of play he had made a thousand times as a youngster in the Dominican Republic, long before the club tried to change his birthdate to sign him early.

But nothing is routine for the Dodgers this season, and Beltre's throw to the plate sailed over catcher Todd Hundley's head, leading to two runs that turned a tied game into a 9-6 loss to the New York Mets.

``I just took off running, but you could tell all hell was breaking loose,'' said former Dodger Lenny Harris, who started the play with a tapper back to the mound.

``Reminded me of the bad old days when we looked like that all the time.''

Harris, who chased Dodger starter Darren Dreifort with a sixth-inning homer, played in L.A. in 1992 when the team lost 99 games and finished in last place.

This might not be bad, and Beltre is no Jose Offerman. But it has been a long season for the team, which is eight games behind with 40 to play. Beltre's 21 errors are second only to Phil Nevin among National League third baseman.

The Dodgers already were tied with San Diego as the league's worst defensive team before making three errors Sunday, including one on the next play by Mark Grudzielanek that scored Harris with the Mets' ninth run.

And what made Sunday worse was the loss came after one of the Dodgers' best victories of the season. After Saturday's game, Gary Sheffield talked about not being able to create momentum from big wins. Despite two home runs by Hundley, Sunday's game proved his point.

``There isn't much you can tell a team after a game like that,''Dodgers manager Davey Johnson said. ``They feel bad enough. You can't give up that many outs, and we've been doing that a lot this year. We're not going to be a championship club until we do that.''

Beltre hardly has been the most erratic Dodger, but more was expected. After filing a grievance last winter for his well-publicized early signing at age 15, Beltre signed a three-year, $5.5 million contract and looked to be one of the game's budding stars.

Instead, he has shown too few flashes of the brilliance that earned him a promotion from Double-A two years ago at age 18. There was a game-winning three-run pinch homer last week in Florida, but he was 2 for 13 against the Mets.

To his credit, however, he didn't hide afterward.

``I had time, but I rushed the throw and it cost us the game,''Beltre said. ``It is the kind of play we need to make if we are going to do anything the rest of the way. But it is the way we have been playing.''

The Dodgers could have picked up a game on first-place San Francisco heading into a potential confidence-boosting series against lowly Montreal. They overcame a 4-0 deficit on home runs by Hundley in the second and fourth innings.

Still, the Dodgers had a chance, tying the game in the seventh when Shawn Green singled and Jay Payton bobbled the ball in center, allowing Sheffield to score.

Green, however, was picked off second by Mets reliever Turk Wendell (6-4). Green would have scored when Eric Karros followed by with his third hit of the day.

The worst came in the eighth after the Mets put runners at the corners with no outs. Harris tapped back to the mound, where reliever Terry Adams (5-6) fielded the ball and started to run Mike Bordick back to third. Adams threw to Beltre, whose throw to the plate was several feet over Hundley's head.

``He needs to focus more,'' said Manny Mota, the Dodger coach who also advises the club's Latin players. ``He has been OK, but he has made some mistakes. Sometimes people forget he is still young.''

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Photo: Todd Hundley watches the ball leave Dodger Stadium for his second homer of the day.

Phil McCarten/Staff Photographer