BIG SWINGS, AND A SWEEP FOR DODGERS BELTRE DELIVERS THE PUNCH IN DOUBLE KNOCKOUT OF CUBS DODGERS 5-3, CHICAGO 3-1.

Byline: Brian Dohn Staff Writer

CHICAGO - Sometimes the hefty swings are empty, and Adrian Beltre looks like he's trying to hit a baseball farther than Mark McGwire.

This was nothing new, but Dodgers manager Davey Johnson said he spoke to Beltre occasionally about the positives of the controlled, easy swing, and how the ball can jump of the bat anyway.

In the past month Beltre's taken the advice and transferred it to performance. And after the young third baseman had five hits and drove in five runs as the Dodgers swept a doubleheader from the Chicago Cubs 5-3 and 3-1 on Friday at Wrigley Field, Johnson hopes the lesson stays learned.

Beltre's biggest hit was a three-run homer with two out in the eighth inning of the first game. It gave the Dodgers a 5-2 lead, and set up a nice second game in which left-hander Carlos Perez (5-6) made a spot start and won for the first time since May 20.

``I hope he looks at that (homer) on video replay,'' Johnson said. ``He just met it and he crushed it. He doesn't have to overswing, and he knows that now.''

Beltre, 21, went 4 for 4 with four RBI in the first game and was 1 for 3 with an insurance RBI after a double in the eighth inning of the second game as the Dodgers went ahead 3-1. Since the All-Star break, Beltre is batting .359 (55 for 153) with five homers and 32 RBI.

``I looked at (Beltre) a few weeks ago when we (were) down in the 'pen and said, `Who would you least like to face in a big situation,' and it's him,'' said right-hander Jeff Shaw, who recorded his 19th and 20th saves in the sweep.

``He's very scary. He can take a wild swing one time, and then hammer the same pitch. Sometimes we forget how old he is.''

The Dodgers swept their first doubleheader since July 6, 1992 against Montreal, and extended their winning streak to five games. But, as always seems to be the case, two steps forward is followed by a move in the other direction.

Center fielder Devon White, who tripled in a run and scored another as the Dodgers took a 2-0 lead in the fifth inning in the nightcap, could be heading for the 15-day disabled list. He injured his left quadriceps running out a grounder in the ninth inning and was removed from the game.

It forced Johnson to use Dave Hansen in left field, and it creates a problem since left fielder Gary Sheffield must sit today because of his suspension. The Dodgers are expected to recall outfielder Bruce Aven from Triple-A Albuquerque to fill the void.

``He pulled it,'' Johnson said of White. ``It should be a minimum of a week, but we'll know more (today).''

A determination of whether White will be disabled should come today, but Aven will come anyway. The Dodgers had recalled right-hander Mike Judd as insurance in case Perez was a bust.

Instead, Perez allowed one run in 6 1/3 innings and broke a three-month winless drought. The bullpen was asked to pitch 7 2/3 innings on the day, but none were in long relief. Therefore, Judd's expected to be sent back to Albuquerque. If the Dodgers need to place White on the disabled list, lefty Onan Masaoka is expected to be recalled.

However, it was still the kind of day the Dodgers needed, especially winning a Perez start. The left-hander was making a spot start, but may have made a push to rejoin the rotation.

Perez teetered on the edge for his first five innings, getting a pair of double plays and some well-timed pop-ups to survive. The Cubs had two runners on base in each of the first four innings, and in the final three innings their first two batters reached.

``I think for Carlos to pitch six-plus innings and only give up one run, that was fantastic,'' Dodgers catcher Chad Kreuter said. ``He had some situations where he could have given up the farm, but he got out of them. He made some great pitches when he had. We worked the outside of the plate well.''

The only run Perez allowed came via a pinch-hit homer by Kennedy High of Granada Hills product Gary Matthews Jr. with one out in the seventh inning. It pulled the Cubs to within 2-1, but it was also the last pitch Perez threw.

``I was watching the first game and I was thinking the umpire was giving the outside corner,'' Perez said. ``I like to use the inside corner when I have my command, but when I saw the umpire giving the outside corner in the second game, I said, `OK.' ''

No one is ready to get caught up in back-in-the-race fever, but the Dodgers (67-61) are feeling good about how the last few days have played out.

They remain seven games behind San Francisco in the National League West with 34 games to play, but with their next 15 games against teams with losing records, now is the best time to get back in position to strike.

``The first game against Montreal, when we hit (six homers), that game woke us up,'' Kreuter said. ``I think now you're seeing, in the last five games, the offense, defense and pitching are coming together at one time. You can't ask for a better time than now.''

DODGERS vs. CHICAGO

Time: 10:15 a.m., Wrigley Field.

TV/Radio: Ch. 11; 1150-AM, KWKW-AM (1330 Spanish).

Dodgers right-hander Matt Herges (8-3, 3.56 ERA) tries for hisfirst win since joining the rotation. Herges won all eight of his decisions in relief, but he's 0-3 with a 5.55 ERA in three starts. Herges haspitched six innings in each of his starts. Cubs right-hander Kevin Tapani (8-10, 4.53) has struggled in his last three starts, going 0-2 with a5.49 ERA. Tapani is also second in the major leagues in homers allowed,having yielded 33.

- Brian Dohn

CAPTION(S):

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Photo:

Adrian Beltre (29) congratulates Eric Karros (23) after the Dodgers' doubleheader sweep Friday.

Mike Fisher/Associated Press

Box: DODGERS vs. CHICAGO (See text)