DODGERS THROW IT AWAY : SAN DIEGO 4, DODGERS 3.

Byline: Brian Dohn Daily News Staff Writer

Through two weeks, opponents have run against Dodgers pitchers and catchers, and pinch-runner Reggie Sanders was set to do the same in the eighth inning.

He never got the chance, though the threat of a steal proved enough.

Dodgers reliever Alan Mills' errant pickoff throw wound up near the Dodgers' bullpen and allowed Sanders to move to third. Phil Nevin followed with an RBI double as the Padres beat the Dodgers 4-3 on Sunday at Qualcomm Stadium to send L.A. limping home.

After sending the fans notice with a 5-1 start, the Dodgers ended a road trip that was no trip at all, losing five of seven on their first venture away from home.

Last season the Dodgers were 15 games above .500 at home but were 35-46 on the road.

``After the first week it was, `Oh boy, they're the greatest thing going, go look at the new-look Dodgers,' '' first baseman Eric Karros said. ``We haven't played well this week and it's, `Oh, boy, it's the same club as last year.' If we get into June and July and we're still hovering around .500, then there's issues.''

It seemed the only issue in the series finale against the Padres was what happened in the eighth inning.

Dodgers lefty Onan Masaoka walked Wally Joyner with one out. Mills, who had allowed one run in six appearances, came on in relief and Sanders pinch-ran for Joyner. Given Dodgers catcher Todd Hundley's inability to throw out runners so far in 1999, there was little question Sanders would try to move up a base.

The first 12 would-be base-stealers of the season were successful against Hundley. And though he did throw out two Padres on Sunday, both came after the runners slid past second base.

With that as the backdrop, Mills tried to keep Sanders close at first. But his pickoff throw was into the runner. Karros couldn't reach the ball, and the speedy Sanders moved to third.

``I threw the ball away,'' Mills said. ``Simple and plain.''

Nevin, pinch-hitting, then lined a double to the right-field wall to score Sanders and give the Padres a 4-3 lead. Trevor Hoffman recorded the final three outs for his second save.

Dan Miceli (1-0) pitched an inning of scoreless relief for the win. Masaoka (0-1) allowed an unearned run for the first decision of his career.

``Those mistakes kill you,'' Dodgers manager Davey Johnson said. ``That was a tough one. Hate to kind of beat ourselves, but that's what we did.''

The Dodgers didn't help themselves by stranding 10 runners on base. They had only one hit - a double by Raul Mondesi - in 10 at-bats with runners in scoring position.

Also in the mix was the Dodgers' inability to score with runners on second and third with one out. Devon White, who smacked a pinch-hit three-run homer Saturday, tried to score on Mondesi's sharp grounder to third. He was thrown out at the plate by Dave Magadan.

Still, the Dodgers took a 3-2 lead in the seventh when Mondesi and Karros hit solo homers off Padres reliever Donne Wall.

Johnson, who points to the bench and the bullpen as the two most crucial components of a team, put his relief pitchers in perfect position to face the lefty-dominated Padres lineup late.

Dodgers right-hander Ismael Valdes began the seventh by striking out Damian Jackson, but allowed a single to Eric Owens. Valdes, bothered by a blister on the middle finger of his pitching hand, was lifted in favor of Masaoka, a lefty. Switch-hitter Quilvio Veras delivered a single to right to score Owens.

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Photo

PHOTO The Dodgers' Devon White is tagged out by San Diego catcher Greg Myers in the third inning.

Lenny Ignelzi/Associated Press