DODGERS NOTEBOOK: WISHING BIG THINGS FOR CATCH.

Byline: Jill Painter Staff Writer

The Catch.

Perhaps that's how Dave Roberts' dramatic catch in center field Thursday will be remembered if the Dodgers make the playoffs.

Players were marveling Friday, a day after Roberts climbed the hill at Minute Maid Park in Houston and reached over the wall to rob Lance Berkman of a home run.

``If we make the playoffs, that counts big time,'' Odalis Perez said. ``Wow. It was crazy.''

If the Dodgers win the wild-card race, it will be one of the plays, maybe the play, that will be remembered as most critical in the pennant race.

Berkman hit the ball off seemingly invincible closer Eric Gagne, and had Roberts not caught it, the Astros would've tied the game in the bottom of the eighth inning.

``The way I thought about it after the game, if he hits that ball out, we might not win another game the way we were going,'' David Ross said, jokingly. ``Obviously, we were pumped up.''

Not only did Roberts make the catch in an awkward setting on the hill, he did it with a fan hitting his arm in the process.

Who knows if the catch will help propel the Dodgers to October? But if it means something at the end of the season, the unassuming Roberts will be all the more grateful.

``I hope so,'' Roberts said. ``Whatever it takes. We'll do it with all 25 guys in this clubhouse. I hope we can look back on this Sept. 30 and say that play in Houston was something that propelled us.''

--Ishii back: Left-hander Kazuhisa Ishii is scheduled to start today for the first time in a month. Ishii has battled a strain of the medial collateral ligament in his left knee.

``I'm hopeful we'll get five or six innings from him, but we'll keep an eye on him,'' Dodgers manager Jim Tracy said. ``At this time of the year, situations dictate decisions, period. Whatever he can give us, we hope it's positive in nature.''

--Lineup changes: Rickey Henderson batted second Friday for the first time since being acquired by the Dodgers last month. Henderson made a Hall of Fame career as a leadoff man, but Roberts batted leadoff and Henderson followed.

Among other things, Tracy said he wanted to break up left-handers Roberts and Shawn Green at the top of the lineup.

--Injury report: Fred McGriff didn't start Friday but played Thursday. Tracy said McGriff was still stiff and sore with respect to his right knee.

``We're completely understanding of the fact that it's something we'll deal with,'' Tracy said.

Jeromy Burnitz's strained right groin is better, but it still bothers him a little bit and he didn't start Friday, although the Rockies started left-hander Cory Vance. ``It drastically improved after they gave me (injections), but it's tight,'' Burnitz said. ``It's not completely gone.''

--Gagne's twin: The Dodgers will move to a 40-man roster after Sunday's game. ... The Dodgers will have an Eric Gagne look-a-like contest before Sunday's game during the Viva Los Dodgers Festival. The winner will meet Gagne.

Jill Painter, [phone]

jill.painter(at)dailynews.com