MUELLER'S OFFENSE SPEAKS LOUDEST THIRD BASEMAN HELPS SPARK DODGERS TO VICTORY DODGERS 6, ARIZONA 4.

Byline: VINCENT BONSIGNORE Staff Writer

Bill Mueller isn't big on analyzing things. At least not when it comes to a baseball season and especially not this early in a season.

Ask him how the Dodgers did on their recently concluded homestand and he just shrugs his shoulders.

I couldn't tell you.'' he said.

For the record, the Dodgers' 6-4 win Sunday over Arizona gave them a 4-5 record on the homestand.

OK.'' is all he said when that information was relayed to him.

Ask him what that tells him about his team, or if he gleaned any practical insight over the last nine days and he just shrugs his shoulders again.

Not really because I haven't paid much attention,'' Mueller said. I just go on each day.''

That's about as deep as Mueller goes on any matter concerning baseball. The way he sees it, the season is too long - and in the case too young - to make any dramatic decrees about the direction of the ball club.

There's always room for improvement, you know what I mean?'' Mueller said.

If you're looking for anything deeper than that with Mueller, good luck. The best bet is Grady Little, who managed Mueller one season in Boston and was ecstatic when the Dodgers signed his former third baseman to a free-agent contract this winter.

Before Sunday's game Little explained why the signing was such a wise move, and how Mueller has given the team everything he thought and more so far this year.

As if on cue Mueller went out and doubled home two runs and started a momentum saving double play in the seventh inning to help preserve a 6-2 Dodgers lead.

Mueller's big hit came in the first inning and scored Jeff Kent and Olmedo Saenz to give the Dodgers a 3-1 lead. The Dodgers ended up scoring four runs in the inning off Arizona starter Russ Ortiz, then added a run in both the fourth and sixth innings. J.D. Drew hit his third home run in the sixth.

The four-run first was the perfect compliment to Brett Tomko's escape job in the top of the first inning when he loaded the bases but surrendered just one run. Tomko labored through the first two innings but settled down over the next four to pick up his second win of the year.

With the bases loaded and to get out of there with just one run was big,'' Tomko said. Because we came right back and answered in a big way with the four runs. That got us on the right track, and as a pitcher it's huge.''

On the double play in the seventh, Mueller dove to his right to grab a hard ground ball from Orlando Hudson, the rose to his feet and fired a strike to Jeff Kent at second base. Kent finished the play with a throw to Olmedo Saenz at first.

I can't even tell you how big or important that play was right there,'' Little said. It was huge.''

Mueller wasn't exactly thinking double play after the ball left Hudson's bat.

You have no idea when it happens that fast,'' Mueller said.

You just try to make a good feed to (Kent) and go from there.''

Tomko left with a 6-2 lead, allowing four hits and striking out four. The Diamondbacks threatened in the eighth by putting two on against Hong-Chih Kuo, who gave way to closer Danys Baez with two outs.

Baez eventually got the job done, but not before giving up a run-scoring single to Johnny Estrada and an RBI double off the left field wall to Tony Clark - both of which were charged to Kuo. Baez got Andy Green to ground out to end the inning, then retired the side in order in the ninth to end the game.

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CAPTION(S):

3 photos, box

Photo:

(1 -- color) Dodgers third baseman Bill Mueller makes a stop on a hard hit ball by the Arizona Diamondbacks' Damion Easley.

(2 -- color) Dodgers outfielder Jose Cruz Jr. hits the wall while chasing a double by Arizona's Tony Calrk.

Hans Gutknecht/Staff Photographer

(3 -- color) The Dodgers' J.D. Drew hits a solo home run in Los Angeles' win over the Diamondbacks.

Keith Birmingham/Staff Photographer

Box:

DODGERS at HOUSTON

- Vincent Bonsignore