DODGERS NOTEBOOK: HENDRICKSON FINALLY GETS WIN.

Byline: TONY JACKSON  Staff Writer

MIAMI -- It wasn't like Mark Hendrickson was routinely getting rocked. It wasn't like the sinkerballing left-hander and erstwhile NBA journeyman wasn't a competent big-league pitcher or wasn't keeping the Dodgers in games.

But there was something about Sunday's 7-3 win over the Florida Marlins, in which Hendrickson got his first victory since being acquired from Tampa Bay almost six weeks ago, that came as a huge relief to the struggling veteran.

``Without a doubt,'' said Hendrickson, who was here for an interleague series with the Devil Rays when the trade took place. ``It's kind of ironic that it happened in the same spot I was in a month ago, when (catcher) Toby (Hall) and I found out we had gotten traded. The offense was great, and we're playing with a lot of confidence right now.''

Hendrickson turned in six solid innings, allowing three runs on six hits. He cost himself one run by walking Hanley Ramirez to lead off the fifth, with Ramirez eventually scoring on a groundout by Miguel Cabrera, but left with the Dodgers facing a manageable 3-1 deficit.

The Dodgers then rallied for six in the seventh, making a winner of Hendrickson.

``I think the last few games, he had been trying to do too much,'' said Hall, who has caught five of Hendrickson's seven starts for the Dodgers. ``This is obviously a different world from where we came from.

``There were some big games going on where we came from, but every game counts here, and I think he had been putting too much pressure on himself ... feeling like he needed to make the perfect pitch.''

Kuo starting: Left-handed reliever Hong-Chih Kuo, whom the Dodgers optioned to Triple-A Las Vegas on July 4, has made five consecutive starts for the 51s and pitched five shutout innings Saturday night against Oklahoma. But that doesn't mean he is being converted to a starter.

``When he went down there, it was because he had command issues,'' Dodgers player development director Terry Collins said. ``The way for him to work on his command is to get him out there. The best way to get consistency is as a starter, so he knows he is going to pitch multiple innings.''

Collins said Kuo's command has improved dramatically, although not to the point that he is ready to return to the bullpen. But Collins added that until he hears differently from the Dodgers front office, the plan is for Kuo eventually to go back to relief work.

Still out: Two days after twisting his left ankle while shagging fly balls, reliever Elmer Dessens still wasn't available. That led to speculation that he could go on the disabled list to clear a roster spot for second baseman Jeff Kent, who will be activated today.

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