DODGERS NOTEBOOK : BULLPEN'S STRUGGLES CONTINUE.

The Dodgers bullpen is a little less secure these days. In Sunday's 10-5 victory over the Cincinnati Reds, it allowed two runs and an inherited runner to score in the eighth inning.

So sturdy for most of the season, the blown saves and big innings are coming more rapidly now.

``Baseball's a streaky game,'' Dodgers manager Bill Russell said. ``Hopefully, you have more good streaks than bad. It happens. You just can't expect them to do it every time.

The recent problems stem back to Aug. 1-3, when the Dodgers twice went extra innings, once for 14 innings and another for 18, and leaned heavily on their relievers. The bullpen pitched 20-1/3 innings in those three days.

Since then, in 13-2/3 innings, the bullpen has allowed 15 runs, 14 earned.

Busch sent out: Mike Blowers' season was over, and in the surplus playing time that followed, Mike Busch had eight hits and nine RBI in 22 at-bats. In the midst of that, Busch considered his opportunity and said, ``I think my ability will take care of itself - either way.''

He had four hits in his next 33 at-bats, and struck out 15 times in his past 30. He was optioned to Albuquerque on Sunday in order to make room for Tim Wallach, who assumes the opportunity Blowers' knee presented. Wallach had his contract purchased from Single-A San Bernardino on Sunday.

``I struggled a little bit,'' Busch said. ``I had some strikeouts. You can't do that. It's a bad time to go into a slump.

``I didn't exactly tear it up the last two weeks. You've got to look at yourself. I didn't produce consistently.''

Busch is 29 years old, and said yet another demotion has not tempered his desire to return.

``My goal is to play until I'm 38 or 40,'' he said. ``I'm not packing it in.''