BRAVES GIVE DODGERS GALARRAGA TREATMENT : ATLANTA 5 DODGERS 2.

Byline: Matt McHale Daily News Staff Writer

The Atlanta Braves struggled in San Diego, but by the time they moved up the freeway to Dodger Stadium they were back on cruise control.

The Dodgers, who beat the lowly Florida Marlins once in a three-game series, offered little resistance to the National League's best team Friday night with a 5-2 loss in front of 43,560 fans.

There was little suspense after the Braves' Andres Galarraga hit a three-run homer in the fourth inning off Dave Mlicki. The Dodgers, already sluggish with six losses in their previous nine games against sub-.500 opponents, were playing without right-fielder Gary Sheffield, who was sidelined with a sprained right thumb.

That forced the Dodgers to put Matt Luke in right and Trenidad Hubbard in left against rookie right-hander Kevin Millwood (14-6), who defeated the Dodgers in May at Atlanta but left after five innings with a sprained right ankle.

Luke and Hubbard combined for one infield hit in eight at-bats.

The Dodgers also struck out in the evening's wild-card race, dropping six-games behind leader Chicago. San Francisco and New York, both ahead of the Dodgers for the wild card, also won.

As the game wore on, the Dodgers' only chance was in getting to the Braves' vulnerable bullpen, which has blown 11 of 41 save opportunities this season.

In the eighth, former Dodger Rudy Seanez became the third Braves pitcher and allowed infield hits to Eric Young and Hubbard. But Seanez, known best for his blazing, but often uncontrollable fastball, slipped a changeup past Raul Mondesi, who had homered in the fourth, for a called third strike.

Eric Karros followed with run-scoring single, giving him 600 career RBI. Only Steve Garvey, Ron Cey, Willie Davis and Bill Russell have accomplished that in Los Angeles Dodgers history.

But Seanez recovered and blew a fastball by Luke for the final out.

Luke, expected to get far more playing time in left now that the club has decided to bench Bobby Bonilla, finished 0-4 with three strikeouts.

Kerry Ligtenberg, who has replaced struggling Mark Wohlers as the Braves' closer, pitched a perfect ninth for his 19th save.

The Braves dropped two of three in San Diego but won the final game to remain ahead of the Padres for the best record in the National League. Surprisingly, they are 8-9 against Houston, San Diego and the Cubs, three teams they could meet in the post season.

The Dodgers, now 0-4 against the Braves this season, provided no such problems.

Until the fourth, Mlicki (6-6) had not allowed a hit before Atlanta second baseman Keith Lockhart opened the inning with a sharp single to right.

Chipper Jones walked, bringing up Galarraga, who had a 13-game hitting streak snapped Wednesday in San Diego.

Galarraga worked the count to 3-2 before crushing an outside fastball into the stands in right center for a three-run homer. It was his 37th, moving him ahead of Colorado's Vinny Castilla into fourth place among National League leaders. It traveled 431 feet.

Ryan Klesko followed with a double off the glove of first baseman Eric Karros that originally was called an error. With Javy Lopez at the plate, Klesko moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on a single by Michael Tucker.

Mlicki retired the final two batters in the inning, including Millwood who sprained his right ankle running out a ground ball.

Millwood delayed the bottom of the fourth for several minutes while trainers retaped his ankle. He ran to the mound without a limp, but Braves manager Bobby Cox came out after just a few warmup pitches.

Six outs from qualifying for a victory, Millwood remained in the game. But it was clear he wasn't the same. His first batter was Mondesi, who almost didn't play after fouling a pitch off his left ankle the night before.

Millwood fell behind 1-0 then threw a fastball Mondesi drove halfway up the left-field pavilion.

For Mondesi, who had just three hits in 20 at-bats on the homestand, it was his 26th homer but just his first since hitting two Aug. 2 in New York.