DODGERS STILL BLOWING OPPORTUNITIES PADRES MAKE IT DIFFICULT FOR L.A. SAN DIEGO 9, DODGERS 6.

Byline: Heather Gripp Staff Writer

Facing one of the league's least-productive offenses and a patchwork pitching staff wasn't any help for the Dodgers Friday. That description fits them, too.

The Dodgers opened a three-game series against last-place San Diego by spending Friday night playing catch-up. San Diego won 9-6 in front of 35,169 at Dodger Stadium after scoring five runs on three hits in the ninth inning. The Dodgers put together a rally but failed to get the tying run home in the bottom of the ninth.

``We just have to get to the point where we're better at delivering the knockout punch,'' said Dodgers manager Jim Tracy, whose team left 11 runners on base.

``That was a good win for us. We've been struggling,'' Bruce Bochy said after the Padres improved their record against the Dodgers to 46-36 since he became the manager in 1995.

``We had been having some trouble scoring runs, but we got some key hits,'' he added. ``We'd like to get on a roll and see if we can get back into it (the division race).''

San Diego entered the series having lost seven of its previous 10 games and eight consecutive series. It's the team's longest streak without winning a series since 1994.

The third-place Dodgers have lost 12 of 24 games since dropping out of first place.

The sixth inning was indicative of the Dodgers' struggles. They loaded the bases with none out, when Adrian Beltre bunted and reached on an error following singles by Gary Sheffield and Eric Karros. However, two of the next three batters struck out and the other grounded out, leaving the score tied 4-4.

The Dodgers also stranded a runner at third in the seventh inning and another in the eighth before Karros drove in two in the ninth. Beltre popped out to end the game with two on.

Paul Lo Duca's solo home run for the Dodgers in the fifth inning created the 4-4 tie. San Diego took a 4-3 lead in the top half of the fifth on a two-run double by Phil Nevin.

The Dodgers had taken the lead an inning earlier on a rally capped by a two-run single by Marquis Grissom. Hiram Bocachica opened the inning with a single. A two-out walk to Beltre loaded the bases and Grissom sent two home with a drive just out of the reach of diving second baseman Cesar Crespo.

Terry Adams, making just his fourth career start since being moved from the bullpen to aid a Dodgers rotation that currently has only two of its original five starters, lasted five innings. He gave up four earned runs on seven hits and three walks in addition to striking out five.

His biggest contributions came at the plate.

Adams drove in the Dodgers' first run with a sacrifice fly to right, his first career RBI. The run cut the Padres' initial lead to 2-1 in the third inning.

``I'm glad I did give our team a chance to win, but I think I could have pitched a lot better,'' Adams said. ``I made some mistakes with guys on base.''

The most effective Dodgers pitcher of the night was Giovanni Carrara, who struck out the side in a scoreless sixth. He was replaced by Jeff Williams in the seventh.

Williams was removed with two out and two on. Matt Herges (4-6) induced a come-backer to get the Dodgers out of the inning without giving up a run.

Rick Wilkins singled in a pair of runs as San Diego went ahead in the ninth, and Phil Nevin had three hits and two RBI.

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Photo:

(color) Alex Cora and Gary Sheffield collide while chasing a fly ball in the fifth inning Friday night at Dodger Stadium.

Gene Blevins/Special to the Daily News