DODGERS NOTEBOOK: PIAZZA PASSES HIS POP QUIZ.

Byline: Eric Noland Daily News Staff Writer

After Mike Piazza had missed four games to rest a tender left hamstring, the Dodgers catcher, upon returning to work over the weekend, was told to take it kind of easy on the bases.

Doctor's orders were heeded for a while, but Piazza didn't feel he could afford the luxury in the first inning Tuesday afternoon. The result was the administration of an acid test for his gimpy leg. He aced it.

``It was pretty funny,'' Piazza said with a laugh after the Dodgers' 3-1 win over Pittsburgh. ``It was not the most graceful baserunning, but thank God it worked out.''

On his bouncer to third, Piazza had to chug down the first-base line because he faced the ignominy of possibly grounding into a triple play.

Then he got caught trying to take second on a wild pitch, and survived a rundown only when Pirates second baseman Tony Womack ill-advisedly tried to catch Roger Cedeno off third.

Finally, Piazza had to lumber from second to home when left fielder Al Martin got a slow break on Raul Mondesi's single to left.

``It's feeling better,'' Piazza said of his leg. ``Like anything, you're always going to be hesitant to test it. It'll probably be another week before I'll be able to run like I usually do.''

Although the Dodgers lost three of the four games Piazza spent recuperating, his bat clearly benefited from the rest. Since returning, he has collected nine hits in 18 at-bats, with three home runs and seven RBI.

``You don't want to take time off that way,'' he said, ``but without a doubt, when I came back I felt rested, so you can see how important it is to take a day off.''

Inhospitable road: The Dodgers, having compiled a 6-2 record on this homestand, today embark on the longest road trip they'll undertake in the season's second half - 10 games in 11 days, with swings through Chicago, Montreal and Cincinnati, plus a side trip to Cooperstown, N.Y., for a Hall of Fame exhibition (Monday).

The Dodgers are only 22-26 away from home this year, although they are 9-4 on the road during their torrid July.

``These trips coming up will probably be a little more grueling than the ones at the beginning of the year,'' said first baseman Eric Karros.

Also: Pitcher Hideo Nomo, hit above the right elbow by a line drive Saturday night, threw off a mound for the first time Sunday and experienced no difficulties, said pitching coach Dave Wallace. . . . Ramon Martinez, on the mend from a tear in his rotator cuff, starts tonight for San Bernardino in a Single-A game against the visiting JetHawks. . . . Pedro Astacio, who gave up one run in 7-1/3 innings Tuesday, on winning four straight decisions: ``I go out there and pitch aggressive and not walk many people. When you're walking people and pitching behind (in the count), it's hard to win in the big leagues.''

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Photo

PHOTO Wilton Guerrero places a sacrifice bunt in the eighth inning as the Dodgers finished a successful homestand.

Gus Ruelas / Daily News