DODGERS SILENCE DIAMONDBACKS : DODGERS 6, ARIZONA 4.

Byline: Brian Dohn Daily News Staff Writer

The Arizona Diamondbacks talked about contending for the National League West title, and about battling with the Dodgers.

Next, please.

Extra innings weren't needed on this occasion, but the Dodgers again broke out the long ball with two homers in a five-run fifth inning as the Dodgers swept the three-game series with a 6-4 win Wednesday night against the Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium.

The win marked the first time since 1995, and the fourth time since the Dodgers moved west in 1958, they have begun the season with three straight wins.

And like the opener, and like Tuesday's home run heroics by Gary Sheffield, again the Dodgers overpowered Arizona.

Raul Mondesi, who homered twice in the opener, hit a home run off Arizona starter Andy Benes (0-1) to break a 2-2 tie in the fifth, and catcher Todd Hundley made it back-to-back with his first home run as a Dodger. He lined a 3-2 pitch over the right-field fence to give the Dodgers a 5-2 lead.

The way right-hander Ismael Valdes was pitching, that was plenty of support.

Throughout his five-year career, scouts, general managers and front office personnel have all said Valdes has some of the best stuff in baseball, but he labored through 10-11 and 11-10 seasons the past two years.

Valdes, coming off a magnificent spring, is trying to re-establish his standing and turn the talk and promise into results.

He did that against the Diamondbacks, limiting them to two runs on five hits in 7-2/3 innings. Valdes (1-0) walked one and struck out five in becoming the first Dodgers starter to win a game this season.

Jeff Shaw recorded the final three outs for his first save. He was pressed into pitching when Mel Rojas surrendered back-to-back homers to Matt Williams and Luis Gonzalez, who homered twice, to start the ninth as Arizona pulled within 6-4.

As was Arizona's protocol in this season-opening series, the only way they could get to a Dodgers pitcher was via the home run. Gonzalez hit the second pitch he saw from Valdes in the fourth inning into the left-field stands, a two-run shot, to give the Diamondbacks a 2-0 lead.

All 12 runs the Diamondbacks scored in the series were produced by homers, eight in all.

But following Gonzalez's homer, Valdes was nearly unhittable. He allowed a single to Bernard Gilkey, but retired the next 11 hitters.

Unlike the first two games, the Dodgers didn't wait until the last moment to rally, instead seizing control in the fifth inning.

It began with birthday boy Adrian Beltre (he turned 21) hustling for a leadoff double on a liner to left-center field. Valdes sacrificed Beltre to third and Eric Young, who had three hits, doubled in the Dodgers' first run. Center fielder Devon White blooped a single to short left field to score Young with the tying run.

After Sheffield flied out to left, Mondesi punished Benes' 1-0 pitch into the left-field stands as the Dodgers went ahead 4-2.

Manager Davey Johnson said he moved Hundley from second to fifth in the lineup to ease the offensive burden on his catcher, and the move paid off.

Not only did Hundley follow Mondesi's third homer of the season with his own, but two innings later the hustle of Sheffield got Hundley another RBI. Sheffield singled to lead off the seventh inning, stole second and went to third when catcher Kelly Stinnett's throw bounced off Sheffield and into left field. After Mondesi was intentionally walked, Hundley delivered a sacrifice fly to left to score Sheffield and give the Dodgers a 6-2 lead.

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2 Photos

PHOTO (1--Color) Dodgers center fielder Devon White can't reach the first of two home runs by Arizona's Luis Gonzalez.

(2) Dodgers baserunner Mark Grudzielanek beats the pickoff tag of Diamondbacks first baseman Travis Lee during L.A.'s victory.

Evan Yee/Daily News