DODGERS GET RIGHT DECISION BAD PLAY BY MORRIS LIFTS L.A. DODGERS 7, ST. LOUIS 5.

Byline: Vincent Bonsignore Staff Writer

Sometime over the next two months, the Dodgers will finally field the team they envisioned coming out of spring training.

Until then, they'll continue to tinker and experiment, hoping the mixed-bag lineup they send out each night plugs the holes caused by injuries and covers up some of the notable weaknesses.

Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Friday was a good time for the former.

The Dodgers opened a three-game series against the St. Louis Cardinals by beating the best team in the National League 7-5 in front of 53,783 at Dodger Stadium.

The decisive runs came in the seventh inning when an odd decision by St. Louis pitcher Matt Morris enabled the winning run to score on a fielder's choice. Jeff Kent added an RBI double for the final margin.

The game-winning run came when Milton Bradley grounded sharply to Morris with runners at first and third and one out. As soon as the ball was hit, Cesar Izturis broke halfway to home from third. Morris looked right at him, seemingly with the intention to throw to home or third to get Izturis in a rundown.

``Cesar was in no man's land,'' Dodgers manager Jim Tracy said.

He was, only to have Morris bail him out by throwing out Bradley at first base. A surprised Izturis easily glided home to make it 6-5.

Morris' stunned teammates looked on in disbelief.

``He made the decision to throw over to first base and the guy scores the winning run,'' Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols said. ``Why? That's a question you have to ask him.''

Coupled with another loss by NL West-leading San Diego, the Dodgers moved to within four games of first place.

Nothing about the Dodgers is pretty these days. Their record is still nine games below .500, top free-agent pickup J.D. Drew walks around the clubhouse with a cast covering his broken left wrist, the third baseman out of spring training is rehabilitating a knee injury in Triple-A and the starting catcher just got moved to first base.

Not to mention Eric Gagne is out for the season with an injured elbow.

But the standings are downright gorgeous.

``We're in this thing,'' manager Jim Tracy said.

Even though the juggling continues to piece together a lineup that makes sense every night.

Before the game the Dodgers brought up a pair of 21-year-old youngsters - Triple-A catcher Dioner Navarro and Double-A reliever Jonathon Broxton. As expected, Navarro was immediately inserted into the starting lineup, but any thought of easing Broxton into his first stint in the majors was scrapped after starter Brad Penny struggled over the first five innings, giving up four runs on nine hits and leaving with the Dodgers ahead 5-4.

Broxton, a hard-throwing right-hander, came on to start the sixth and promptly gave up two hits, a walk and the tying run to make the score 5-5.

But he also flashed some of the promise that prompted the Dodgers to promote the youngster from Double-A, striking out Albert Pujols and Mark Grudzielanek.

``Anything I can do to help the major-league team win, I'll do,'' Broxton said. ``If that means getting one batter or pitching a whole inning, I'll do it.''

Ricky Ledee, who drew the start in right field, blasted a three-run home run in the first inning to give the Dodgers a 4-2 lead.

The Cardinals added two runs in the fifth off Penny to draw within 5-4, including a solo home run by Pujols.

Vincent Bonsignore, [phone]

vincent.bonsignore(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

2 photos, 4 boxes

Photo:

(1 -- color) The Dodgers' Ricky Ledee hits a three-run home run in the second inning against St. Louis on Friday.

(2) Pitcher Brad Penny struggled over the first five innings, giving up for runs on nine hits. He left the game with a 5-4 lead.

John McCoy/Staff Photographer

Box:

(1) DODGERS vs. ST. LOUIS

- Vincent Bonsignore

(2) ALMANAC 

(3) GAME RECAP

(4) HOW THE RUNS SCORED