DODGERS NOTEBOOK: MONDESI WON'T TALK THE WALK.

Byline: Matt McHale Daily News Staff Writer

Raul Mondesi walked as many times in the Dodgers' four-game series (six) with San Diego as he did in the previous 2-1/2 months.

But if you think the free-swinging Mondesi finally is the selective hitter the club is begging him to become, think again.

In the sixth inning of Sunday's 10-inning, 5-4 victory over the Padres, Mondesi came up after Eric Karros and Bobby Bonilla walked on eight pitches. On the first pitch by San Diego rookie Matt Clement, Mondesi flied out to left, and the rally sputtered.

``That hurt a lot,'' hitting instructor Mickey Hatcher said. ``He thought he got the perfect pitch. But pitchers know they can throw stuff out of the strike zone because Mondy will swing.''

Mondesi, who leads the team with 30 homers and 88 RBI, is unrepentant. He has talked to teammate Gary Sheffield, former hitting instructor Reggie Smith and now Hatcher about the situation, but says there is only one solution.

``I'm gonna keep swinging,'' he said.

Smith tried to get Mondesi to become more selective by taking pitches to right field. Mondesi came around after an early season slump, but after Smith was fired in late June, Mondesi went back to his old ways - and then some.

From June 30 to Aug. 11, he did not draw a base on balls.

``This is not a mechanical thing, this is a frame of mind,'' Hatcher said. ``A couple of times I've told him to just take the first pitch regardless of where it is. When you watch Tony Gwynn, you see him take the first pitch a lot. When the pitcher falls behind, he comes in to the hitter. You know what kind of hitter Tony Gwynn is. Mondy is different, more power, but he can learn from that.''

Perez injured: Carlos Perez, tonight's starter for the series opener against Colorado at Dodger Stadium, turned an ankle during batting practice and was taken for precautionary X-rays.

If Perez, who has pitched back-to-back complete games, cannot start, rookie right-hander Mike Judd will pitch.

Quick hits: Jeff Shaw pitched the bottom of the 10th to record his 43rd save, a career high. He had 42 last season in Cincinnati. . . . Despite the loss, the Padres have been a great extra-inning team (9-3). One of their more memorable victories came against the Dodgers on June 17 when they won 3-2 in 12 innings after a misplayed base hit by Roger Cedeno in center.

DODGERS vs. COLORADO

Time: 7:05 p.m. at Dodger Stadium.

TV/Radio: Fox Sports West 2; 1150-AM, KWKW 1330-AM.

Matchup: The Dodgers (76-74) open a three-game series tonight against the Colorado Rockies (72-79), the other disappointing team in the National League West. Carlos Perez (9-13, 3.87) faces left-hander Bobby Jones (7-7, 5.43). Perez is coming off consecutive complete-game victories, including a 5-2 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks last Tuesday. Jones has the distinction of throwing a complete-game victory against the Dodgers at Coors Field on June 21, the day manager Bill Russell and GM Fred Claire were fired. Matchups for the rest of the series: Tuesday (7:05 p.m. FSW2) - Chan Ho Park (13-8, 3.87) vs. right-hander Darryl Kile (11-16, 5.34) . . . Wednesday (7:35 p.m.) - Brian Bohanon (6-10, 2.81) vs. right-hander Jamey Wright (9-12, 5.69).

- Matt McHale

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BOX: DODGERS vs. COLORADO (see text)