DODGERS NOTEBOOK: MORE MEDICAL TESTS FOR SHEFFIELD.

Byline: Matt McHale Staff Writer

Gary Sheffield, who homered and had four RBI in Friday's 8-3 victory over the New York Mets, will undergo a second battery of tests Monday to determine the cause of a fainting spell suffered Wednesday at his Bel Air home.

Sheffield missed Thursday's loss to Montreal with what the Dodgers described as dizziness and fatigue. He spent the night at Centinela Hospital Medical Center and was examined Friday morning by Dodgers internist Michael Mellman.

Mellman ruled out an irregular heart beat, but said further cardiac and neurological tests are scheduled. In the wake of two football deaths this month, Mellman also said Sheffield was checked for any dietary supplements that can cause such symptoms.

``The best way to put it is we did tests on his heart and brain and vascular health,'' Mellman said. ``There were some minor variations, but nothing we felt that completely explained what happened. We didn't see any problems we were able to find.''

The Dodgers leave Monday morning for Florida, where they begin a seven-game trip Tuesday against the Marlins. Sheffield will remain in Los Angeles and fly to Florida later in the day.

--Veras goes elsewhere: Quilvio Veras, the second baseman released by the Atlanta Braves last month, has agreed to terms with the Boston Red Sox after speaking to the Dodgers.

Veras, who struggled this season with free agency looming, was making $3.9 million. He cleared waivers and accepted to start at the Red Sox Triple-A affiliate. The Dodgers wanted Veras to play second and short, but were uncertain about the status of utility man Tim Bogar.

Bogar is sidelined with a strained right foot and hopes to be back by September.

--Orosco not available: Left-handed reliever Jesse Orosco could not pitch Friday. Orosco, 44, is sidelined with a bruised tailbone. The team remains uncertain how Orosco was injured but believes it happened last week while he was sitting on a team flight.

Dodgers manager Jim Tracy said Orosco's injury changes the way he will use Terry Mulholland, the other left-hander in the bullpen. But Tracy defended the use of Mulholland on Tuesday at the end of a blowout victory against Montreal.

Mulholland was not available Thursday to face the Expos' left-handed hitting Lee Stevens, who lined a two-run single to right off right-hander Mike Trombley in the eighth-inning of a 7-3 loss.

--Quick hits: Dodgers starter Terry Adams took a no-hitter into the fifth inning, when Robin Ventura opened with a sharp single up the middle. For Ventura, it was just his fourth hit in 35 at-bats. But there also was some historical significance. On Aug. 17, 1992, former Dodgers right-hander Kevin Gross pitched a no-hitter in a 2-0 victory against the San Francisco Giants. Rookie Eric Karros hit a second-inning homer that was the game- winning run.

DODGERS vs. NEW YORK METS

Time: 7:10 p.m., at Dodger Stadium

TV/Radio: Fox Sports Net 2; 1150-AM, 1330-AM (Spanish)

Matchup: In the second of three games against the Mets, RH James Baldwin (1-1, 3.27) faces LH Bruce Chen (5-6, 4.58). Baldwin will be making his first start since Aug. 10, when he strained his left side in a 10-5 loss at Philadelphia. Baldwin was roughed up after going eight innings in each of his first two starts after coming over from the Chicago White Sox at the trade deadline. Chen, also traded at the deadline, has gone 1-1 with a 2.75 ERA after coming over from the Phillies.

- Matt McHale

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DODGERS vs. NEW YORK METS (see text)