DODGERS THIN, DON'T WIN; JOHNSON HAS THE BLUES OVER BELEAGUERED BULLPEN AND BENCH : PITTSBURGH 4, DODGERS 2.

Byline: Brian Dohn Daily News Staff Writer

The $80 million payroll sets up a potentially awesome starting rotation and all-stars in the field. As the Dodgers are finding out, it doesn't do very much to help a bench or bullpen.

The $22 million-earning, poverty-stricken Pittsburgh Pirates delivered one piece of enlightening news in beating the Dodgers for the second straight day - this time 4-2 Tuesday at Three Rivers Stadium. The message is that hustle and execution still win games.

Pittsburgh is 27-24. The Dodgers are 26-25 and are 4-4 on this nine-game road trip.

A beleaguered Dodgers manager Davey Johnson, who's spent a season battling injuries to his beloved bench and bullpen, delivered news that impacts the Dodgers beyond this three-game series. Already in need of outfield help to give center fielder Devon White some time off, Johnson said it's likely outfielder Todd Hollandsworth will return to the disabled list because of a torn oblique muscle on his right side.

Johnson used backup outfielder Trenidad Hubbard to spell White once but not since Hollandsworth was injured Thursday in Cincinnati. Also, the Dodgers are carrying 12 pitchers, and with Jose Vizcaino on the disabled list, Tripp Cromer is their lone backup middle infielder.

Johnson said that's contributed to a stretch in which the Dodgers have gone 4 for 47 with runners in scoring position while losing three of the past five. The Dodgers were 1 for 10 in this loss.

``Maybe we're tired,'' Johnson said. ``We had pitches to hit. I don't know. I wish I had answers. This guy (Pittsburgh's Jason Schmidt) got racked up pretty good (in the past). We had pitches to hit.''

What's worse is the Dodgers have no apparent solutions, or even stopgaps, at the minor-league level. Triple-A Albuquerque's Kevin Gibbs is out with torn cartilage in his throwing shoulder. Hiram Bocachica was in big-league camp in the spring as an outfielder but has since been sent back to the infield at Double-A San Antonio. The Dodgers already lost outfielder Jacob Brumfield on the waiver wire to Toronto.

Johnson said it's unlikely the Dodgers would make a move before heading home after tonight's series finale with the Pirates.

Among the choices at Albuquerque are former big-leaguers Wes Chamberlain (.272, 8 HR, 40 RBI) and Warren Newson (.236, 1, 8) and outfielders Brent Cookson (.324, 14, 39) and Kevin Grijak (.333, 3, 20).

``A bunch of these injuries look like three to five days and wind up being three weeks,'' Johnson said. ``I don't know what our options are. Vizcaino can possibly be ready, but I need an outfielder.''

The last-gasp hope for the Dodgers is that a second cortisone shot Hollandsworth received prior to the game does enough to allow him to play. If not, Hollandsworth, who began the season on the disabled list with a hamstring injury, will return there Friday.

``Both of (the shots) definitely helped, but what can you do if you tore something,'' Hollandsworth said. ``You're just kind of stuck. I feel better, but as far as being able to (swing), it's something that has to rest.''

While the Dodgers sleepwalked to their second straight loss, the vibrant Pirates played small ball to near-perfection. Ed Sprague homered in the first off right-hander Ismael Valdes (5-3), but the Pirates' next three runs scored via the sacrifice fly.

Dodgers catcher Todd Hundley homered for the second straight game. The solo shot came in the second inning. The Dodgers just haven't hit with runners on base.

Even when Eric Young singled in the eighth and moved to second on a wild pitch, the Dodgers couldn't even move him over a base. Gary Sheffield, Raul Mondesi and Hundley each struck out. In fact, the Dodgers' first four hitters - White, Young, Sheffield and Mondesi - went 1 for 15.

Hubbard's pinch-hit single in the ninth to score Adrian Beltre was the Dodgers' only hit with a runner in scoring position and cut the lead to 4-2. But White grounded out to first to end the game, giving Schmidt (5-3) his first win since May 1, and Mike Williams notched his 11th save.

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PHOTO (Color) The Pirates' Warren Morris descends after forcing Adrian Beltre at second and throwing to get Mark Grudzielanek.

Keith Srakocic/Associated Press