DODGERS WILL GLADLY TAKE THE FIFTH NO. 5 STARTER PROKOPEC STRONG, OFFENSE ERUPTS TO SMASH GIANTS DODGERS 10, S.F. 1.

Byline: Steve Dilbeck Staff Writer

They looked everywhere. They called on old guys, injured guys, green kids, friends of friends. Robert Daly tried everyone but Kevin Costner.

Nowhere could the Dodgers find anything last season to even resemble reasonably reliable fourth and fifth starters. Now less than a week into the new season, they look like awash in solid starters.

Friday night they got what might safely be called an unexpected outing from Luke Prokopec, as the young Australian right-hander shut out the Giants for seven innings on two hits before finally surrendering a run in the eighth in the Dodgers' 10-1 victory.

Supported by five home runs - including a pair by Mark Grudzielanek - the Dodgers jumped to an early lead and then watched, if in slight amazement, as Prokopec simply breezed through the Giants in front of a Dodger Stadium crowd of 36,508.

``That,'' Dodgers manager Jim Tracy said, ``was one heck of a performance.''

Last year the Dodgers' rotation was Kevin Brown, Chan Ho Park, Darren Dreifort and the great Black Hole. Many came and went, but their combined numbers added up to 11-26 with a 6.28 ERA.

This year they signed veteran Andy Ashby for the fifth spot, then happily saw Eric Gagne earn the fifth spot in the spring. Then, with Brown starting the season on the disabled list, the Dodgers gave Friday's fill-in start to the 23-year-old Prokopec. He is considered the Dodgers' No.1 prospect by many, and against the Giants he hardly looked like a guy who needs Triple-A seasoning.

Prokopec gave up a first-inning single to Rich Aurilla, then retired 11 consecutive Giants before J.T. Snow singled in the fifth.

``It worked out all right,'' Prokopec said. ``I hit my spots and luckily stayed out of trouble.''

Tracy could have taken him out with a 10-0 lead after the seven shutout innings, but sent him out to start the eighth. The rookie gave up doubles to Snow and Bobby Estalella to lose the shutout.

``I've never pitched a complete game, actually,'' Prokopec said. ``I don't think I've ever pitched eight innings.''

He left having not walked a batter, striking out seven and allowing the one run on four hits.

The Dodgers, meanwhile, supplied enough power to keep PG&E solvent.

Grudzielanek started it off with one out in the first when he hammered a Shawn Estes' offering into the right-field bleachers. Grudzielanek also homered in the first inning Thursday.

Gary Sheffield singled off the glove of third baseman Russ Davis, and Eric Karros - who had started the season 1 for 15 - homered to center.

Shawn Green walked, went to second on Paul LoDuca's groundout and scored on a Phil Hiatt single.

One inning down, and Prokopec was up 4-0.

The Dodgers added one more in the second on a Jeff Reboulet double and Marquis Grissom single, and two more in the fourth when Grissom and Grudzielanek connected on back-to-back home runs off Estes.

They completed their scoring in the seventh off Mark Gardner. Sheffield walked, Karros singled and LoDuca drilled a three-run homer.

The five home runs were the most the Dodgers have hit in one game since hitting six Aug. 22 here against the Expos.

``I know we're capable of hitting home runs,'' Tracy said. ``But with the work we've done, I also know we're capable of scoring when we don't hit home runs.''

Friday that was hardly a problem. Prokopec made three September starts last year, one that included a loss to the Giants.

``I was a little more pumped up because they hammered me last year,''Prokopec said.

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Photo:

(color) Eric Karros (23) broke out of his early slump with a two-run homer Friday. He is congratulated at home plate by Gary Sheffield.

Chris Pizzello/Associated Press