DODGERS NOTEBOOK : CEDENO GIVES SELF HELPING HAND.

Roger Cedeno saw his consciousness pass before his eyes Sunday afternoon. It bore a remarkable resemblance to a Ricky Bottalico fastball.

``I saw that ball in my face,'' the Dodgers center fielder said following his team's 5-4 loss to Philadelphia. ``I don't know how I got my hand in front of my face.''

Cedeno had squared to bunt in the ninth inning against the Phillies' closer. As Cedeno pulled his left hand off the bat to avoid the up-and-in fastball, he was struck in the index finger.

``I couldn't even feel my finger. I couldn't even move it,'' Cedeno said.

The injury was not deemed serious, though, and he wasn't even sent for X-rays. ``It will be OK (today),'' Cedeno said.

Bottalico, who had opened the inning by issuing a four-pitch walk to Chad Fonville, said, ``I was just wild. I had some days off (three in a row), and that (wildness) usually happens when I haven't pitched in a while.

``Against Fonville, he's down there real low (5-feet- 6), and I'm not real good at painting a picture. The one to Cedeno just got away.''

Going deep: Benito Santiago's three-run home run off Ramon Martinez in the first inning broke a string of 84 innings (over nine games) in which Dodgers pitchers did not give up a home run.

Medical report: Shortstop Greg Gagne sat out his second straight game with a sprained ankle and didn't sound optimistic about getting back tonight against the New York Mets. ``It's still swollen,'' said Gagne. ``I guess it's just going to have to wait.'' The Dodgers are 3-4 in games Gagne has missed to injury this year. . . .

The Dodgers at first feared that Martinez had reinjured a groin muscle while running out a ground ball in the sixth inning, but although the pitcher was removed after facing four batters in the next inning, coach Dave Wallace said the move was dictated by general fatigue, and that there was no recurrence of the injury.

Numbers game: Missed opportunities, indeed. Of the 10 runners the Dodgers left on base Sunday, five were stranded at second base, two at third. . . . Dodgers third baseman Mike Blowers had a 3-for-4 day with two doubles. He continues to swing a lively bat in his effort to break out of a prolonged slump. Over his last six games, Blowers has batted .409, with three doubles, a triple and two RBI. . . . The Phillies' Jim Eisenreich, who drove in the winning run, is a .424 career hitter against L.A.

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Photo

PHOTO The Dodgers' Roger Cedeno hits the dirt after being h it by a pitcher Rickey Bottalico.

Associated Press