DODGERS NOTEBOOK: JORDAN CATCHES A BREAK WITH NEWS ON LEFT HAND INJURY.

Byline: Brian Dohn Staff Writer

DETROIT - The results of the CT scan were expected, but even so the news Brian Jordan's sore left hand isn't broken lifted a tremendous weight off his mind, the Dodgers left fielder said Wednesday.

Jordan, who was hit with a pitch May 28, was diagnosed with a soft tissue bruise and perhaps a bruised nerve in his hand. Time should heal the pain, and surgery isn't needed.

``It was really bothering me mentally,'' Jordan said. ``Right now I have more confidence I can go out and drive (the outside pitch). It's physically going to be painful, but I can deal with that.

``As long as I know I'm not further damaging that, or know I may take a swing and look down and my bone is hanging out, that's gone, now.''

Jordan said doctors told him he might not have known for two weeks after the injury occurred whether the hand was fractured. He said the mental anguish, more than the pain, limited him at the plate, and it showed.

Jordan, who started in right field Wednesday against Detroit, was in a 1-for-19 slump before a fourth-inning double. Since getting hit with the pitch, Jordan is 7 for 34 to drop his average to .288.

Now that Jordan knows there is no break, he can focus on what to do to get better.

``Treatment, treatment, treatment,'' Jordan said. ``The norm would be to sit down and rest, but I'm me. For me, I'm more of a team player and I can play great defense despite the hand and I know, mentally, once I deal with the pain I'm going to hit.''

--Lo Duca streak to 19: Dodgers catcher Paul Lo Duca's sharp single to left field in the fourth inning extended his hitting streak to a career-best 19 games. The last time a Dodger had a longer streak was 1991, when Brett Butler hit in 23 in a row.

But Lo Duca said he isn't getting too caught up in the streak, particularly when placed next to Joe DiMaggio's record of 56 games.

``If it calls for me to bunt a guy over in the seventh inning and end it, I'm going to do that,'' Lo Duca said. ``I want to win games. That's ridiculous what Joe DiMaggio did. You don't think about it.''

During the streak, Lo Duca is batting .434 (33 for 76), raising his average from .275 to .330.

--Tracy to miss game: Dodgers manager Jim Tracy will miss today's series finale to attend the high school graduation of his son, Chad. The 17-year-old, who is heading to Pepperdine on a baseball scholarship, is graduating from Claremont High.

Bench coach Jim Riggleman will be the Dodgers' lead man, but much of Tracy's game duties will be split among the coaching staff.

``They all know what their responsibilities are and do it extremely well,'' Tracy said. ``They'll combine and they'll get the job done.''

Tracy was scheduled to leave this morning and will rejoin the team Friday in Cleveland.

--Odds and ends: Fred McGriff's fourth-inning RBI single accounted for the 1,537th run batted in of his career, tying the Dodgers first baseman with DiMaggio for 36th all time. ... Dodgers center fielder Dave Roberts stole his third base of the series in the fifth inning. He stole two Tuesday, his first since May 13. Roberts had a lingering hamstring problem that sent him to the disabled list, but he still is second in the National League with 21 stolen bases.

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- Brian Dohn