DODGERS SWARMED IN DESERT ARIZONA WINS BIG; GREEN HOMERS AGAIN ARIZONA 14, DODGERS 3.

Byline: Brian Dohn Staff Writer

PHOENIX - Dodgers manager Jim Tracy was more reserved about it, but he echoed the sentiments of catcher Paul Lo Duca, who said the Dodgers needed to make a statement because Arizona and San Francisco didn't take the Dodgers seriously in the NL West race.

All the Dodgers did Friday was re-enforce that such a belief could be true.

Arizona knocked the Dodgers' most consistent pitcher, Odalis Perez, out after four innings and then battered the bullpen. It made Arizona starter Curt Schilling's job easy as he rolled to his major-league-leading ninth victory as the Diamondbacks beat the Dodgers 14-3 in the opener of a three-game series at Bank One Ballpark.

Dodgers right fielder Shawn Green homered in his first at-bat off Schilling, tying a major-league record with five homers in two games. Green, who went 3 for 4 with two singles, also tied a major-league record with 25 total bases in two games. Ty Cobb did it in 1925 and Joe Adcock accomplished it in 1954.

Green went 6 for 6 with four homers, a major-league record 19 total bases and six runs scored in Thursday's victory at Milwaukee, and got plenty of help as the Dodgers pounded out 16 runs and a club-record eight homers.

A day after scoring a season-high 16 runs, the Dodgers allowed a season-high in runs, and Arizona's 15 hits matched the most yielded by the Dodgers this season.

The throttling also did little to dissuade the notion that Arizona doesn't take the Dodgers seriously as contenders for the division title. The Diamondbacks and Giants have won the past three division titles.

``I don't really worry about it,'' Tracy said. ``I didn't really worry about it last year, although even last year I felt to a certain extent that's the way we were looked upon. That's OK. Now, you have an opportunity. If, in fact, you have a sensation or a feeling that's the way you're being perceived, you have a chance to send a little bit of a message.''

Instead, Arizona sent warning how good it can be. Schilling (9-1) allowed six hits and struck out seven in seven innings as the Diamondbacks increased their lead over the third- place Dodgers to 3 1/2 games.

Junior Spivey hit a one-out homer in the first off Perez (4-3) to neutralize Green's homer, but that was only the start as Arizona scored in six of the first seven innings.

Perez, who entered the game with a 10.13 ERA in three games at Bank One Ballpark, allowed seven hits and a season-high five runs in four innings. It was his shortest start since April 29, 2001, when he lasted 3 1/3 innings and allowed four runs at Arizona while pitching for Atlanta.

It got so ugly that Tracy, trying not to burn out his bullpen, had to rescue reliever Jeff Williams during a seven-run seventh inning in which the Diamondbacks sent 12 batters to the plate. Williams allowed seven earned runs and recorded one out, making his ERA rise to 20.25. Tracy was forced to use Giovanni Carrara in a mop-up role.

The Dodgers optioned Williams to Triple-A Las Vegas after the game and purchased the contract of right-hander Dennis Springer.

``This is the first of 19 games against them, so this is not a do-or-die situation,'' Tracy said.

CAPTION(S):

photo

Photo:

(color) Shawn Green (15) hit a home run in his first at-bat Friday, giving him a record-tying five in the past two games.

Paul Connors/Associated Press