DODGERS NOTEBOOK: LAROCHE GETS THE CALL.

Byline: TONY JACKSON 

Staff Writer

ATLANTA -- The Dodgers promoted long-awaited third base prospect Andy LaRoche to the majors for the first time late Saturday night, and manager Grady Little quickly got him into the lineup for Sunday's game with Atlanta.

LaRoche, who was hitting just .235 at Triple-A Las Vegas, responded by going 1 for 4 with a one-out, ground-rule double in the fifth. He bobbled the only groundball hit to him, but managed to pick it up and throw out Chris Woodward at first in the fourth.

LaRoche reflexively snared a liner ht at him by Andruw Jones in the sixth.

"It was pretty exciting out there," LaRoche said. "I just tried to stay relaxed, stay within myself and treat this like another ballgame."

LaRoche's recall came after infielder Marlon Anderson was placed on the 15-day disabled list because he continues to have trouble with his right elbow, from which he had bone chips surgically removed last October. Anderson flew back to Los Angeles to undergo an MRI.

But as much as this move was about losing Anderson, it was more about the gaping offensive hole the Dodgers have had all season at third base, where Wilson Betemit was hitting just .125 before slamming a pinch-hit home run in each of the past two games. In between those homers, Little seemed to indicate LaRoche will be the Dodgers' everyday third baseman.

"We're going to give him a good opportunity," Little said. "We decided to try a little bit different angle here and see how it works. We know what (LaRoche) is capable of doing. He has done it every year in the minor leagues, and we look forward to watching it."

Whither Betemit? When asked what LaRoche's callup means for Betemit, Little stopped short of using the words "utility infielder." But he laid out a description that couldn't possibly be interpreted as anything else.

"He will keep himself ready," Little said. "He will try to help us win games when he gets the chance. He will start taking groundballs at second, short and third and maybe some at first. We're still open. He is not out of the picture (at third)."

Betemit hit for Rudy Seanez in the seventh inning and hit a two-run homer off Kyle Davies, his second of the year and second in the past two games. He became the first Dodgers player to connect in consecutive pinch-hit at-bats since Todd Benzinger in September 1992.

Whither Brazoban? Although Yhency Brazoban's year-long rehabilitation from Tommy John surgery ended in an option to Las Vegas on Saturday, Little said that with no off-day scheduled until May 17, he fully expects to need a 12th pitcher in the coming days. That would seem to point to Brazoban because Hong-Chih Kuo has been put on a starter's program.

CAPTION(S):

box

Box:

DODGERS at FLORIDA

- Tony Jackson