DOMBROWSKI NOT A DODGER; L.A. LOSES GM CANDIDATE, BUT WINS GAME : DODGERS 6, ARIZONA 2.

Byline: Matt McHale Daily News Staff Writer

The Dodgers lost another one Wednesday when Dave Dombrowski, front-runner for the club's general manager position, signed a five-year, $5 million contract to remain with the Florida Marlins.

Dombrowski canceled a second interview with the Dodgers late Tuesday night when he notified club president Bob Graziano that he would not be flying to Los Angeles for a scheduled Wednesday meeting with Fox executive Peter Chernin.

Instead, Dombrowski received a new contract and assurances the lowly Marlins will boost a payroll slashed almost $40 million after the club won the World Series in 1997.

``If I got on the plane to Los Angeles I would have gone with the mind of taking the job if it was offered to me,'' Dombrowski said. ``The Dodgers were a gracious and impressive group of people. It was a very appealing situation. But I'm a Marlin.''

The Dodgers now turn their search to the three remaining candidates, including Baltimore assistant Kevin Malone, who now appears to be the front-runner. Malone, former Yankees GM Bob Watson and Cincinnati's Jim Bowden all interviewed Wednesday with Chernin at the Fox offices in Century City.

Many in the Dodgers organization believe Dombrowski never intended to take the GM position, simply using it as leverage to boost his position with the Marlins.

``I never thought he was coming,'' interim general manager Tom Lasorda said Wednesday before the Dodgers' 6-2 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks. ``I spoke to him (Wednesday) and wished him well. But the times I talked to him, I just got a feeling he wasn't coming.''

Dombrowski turning down the Dodgers was the big news of the day, but it wasn't the only news. The club still has 16 games to play.

Wednesday, left-hander Carlos Perez pitched his second consecutive complete game and fifth of the year, limiting the Diamondbacks to seven hits and two runs.

Coming off a two-hit shutout over Philadelphia last Wednesday, Perez (9-13) now has allowed just nine hits and two runs in 18 innings. He was winless in his first six starts after coming over from Montreal with shortstop Mark Grudzielanek in a July 31 trade for Wilton Guerrero and three minor leaguers.

Perez got support from Eric Young and Bobby Bonilla, who hit home runs off Arizona starter Amaury Telemaco (6-9). Bonilla, 1 for 9 in the first two games of the series, hit his fourth homer in 14 games after hitting just three in his first 49 games. It gave the Dodgers a 3-1 lead in the fifth and they never gave it back.

Young, who scored three runs, hit his home run in the third inning. It was his eighth, marking the third consecutive year he has hit eight in a season.

The victory closed out the season series with the Diamondbacks. The Dodgers finished 8-4.

Now it is on to San Diego, where they play four games against the NL West-leading Padres.

Like Dombrowski, Malone is looking at the Dodgers position with some leverage. He is the former GM at Montreal and also might be in line to replace retiring Pat Gillick as the general manager in Baltimore.

During his years with the Expos, Malone, 40, developed a strong farm system and competitive teams at the major-league level despite the club's bottom-line budget.

``I remember him telling me one spring when I was at Double-A that I was going to be the Expos' next shortstop,'' said Mark Grudzielanek, who was traded to the Dodgers on July 31 from Montreal. ``I went out and had a great year and I was there. He is a straight shooter and very good with people. I think he'd be a great fit here.''

Dombrowski first drew the interest of Fox and the Dodgers during trade talks for Mike Piazza in May. Fox's Chase Carey dealt mostly with Marlins president Don Smiley during the talks, which produced a seven-player deal.

But Dombrowski's success molding a club out of high-priced free agents, was not overlooked, especially when the Dodgers failed this year to be competitive despite a $61 million payroll.

The Marlins payroll has been slashed from $53 million to $13 million by owner Wayne Huizenga, who is trying to sell the team. Included in the revised budget is $7 million paid to injured right hander Alex Fernandez.

Huizenga was hoping to sell the Marlins to Smiley for $165 million. Huizenga dropped his asking price last week to $150 million, but Smiley dropped out of the bidding when he was unable to secure enough investors.

There was speculation that Smiley would have asked Dombrowski to take a pay cut if he bought the club, fueling Dombrowski's interest to leave.

Now, it appears the Marlins finally will be sold to Florida commodities broker John Henry, who said he wants Dombrowski to be the cornerstone of the rebuilding project.

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2 Photos

PHOTO (1) Dodgers catcher Tom Prince tags out Arizona's Travis Lee at home plate.

Ken Levine/Associated Press

(2) DOMBROWSKI