DODGERS NOTEBOOK: GONZALEZ GETS BACK TO BASICS.

Byline: TONY JACKSON 

Staff Writer

WASHINGTON -- It has gone virtually unnoticed in the shadow of the 15-game hitting streak Rafael Furcal brought into Thursday night's game at Washington and the never-ending exploits of catcher Russell Martin, but Dodgers left fielder Luis Gonzalez has sizzled of late.

Sizzled to the tune of an eight-game hitting streak, during which he was batting .414 (12 for 29).

"I made some minor adjustments," Gonzalez said. "I worked a little bit with (hitting coach) Eddie (Murray), just trying to shorten some stuff up a little bit. It's just part of the game. You're always tinkering with things."

The surge has raised Gonzalez's average almost 30 points to .286. In the first two games of the series here, he went 4 for 8 with a double and a three-run homer.

Gonzalez said his adjustment has been strictly mechanical and that he hasn't changed his approach at the plate. Instead, he and Murray worked to simplify Gonzalez's swing and reduce the amount of bodily movement involved.

"We just generally played around with it until Eddie said, 'Hey, let's try this,'" Gonzalez said. "I'm seeing the ball good and just going from there.

"When you have played this game as long as I have, you know when you're in a zone and feeling good. But for the most part, you try not to get too high.

"You just ride it out and have good at-bats. Two weeks from now, I might be (adjusting) something else."

Second thoughts: One day after he all but confirmed that left-hander Hong-Chih Kuo will be recalled from Triple-A Las Vegas to fill the vacant fifth spot in the Dodgers' starting rotation beginning Saturday night, manager Grady Little seemed to backtrack slightly.

"The only thing I'm leaning toward right now is that I'm not going to make an announcement on the guy yet," Little said.

Little said his reticence comes from the fact another player -- probably a position player, but not necessarily -- will have to be sent to the minors to clear a roster spot if Kuo is called up. Kuo would give the Dodgers a 12-man staff if another pitcher isn't sent out, but Little said club officials haven't decided on that.

Still on the shelf: Although reliever Chin-hui Tsao becomes eligible to return from the 15-day disabled list Monday night at Pittsburgh, it doesn't appear that he will.

Tsao played catch Wednesday for the second time since going on the shelf with a right shoulder strain May 23, and he continued to feel pain. He will throw again today.

Bye-bye Bigbie: Veteran outfielder Larry Bigbie, who is hitting .349 at Las Vegas, has informed club officials that he will exercise the escape clause in his minor-league contract when it kicks in today, assistant general manager Kim Ng said.

That will make Bigbie a free agent and officially end his ties with the Dodgers.

Bigbie also tried to find a major-league job when his last "out" clause went into effect at the end of spring training.

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Tony Jackson