OUTLOOK IS GETTING BLEAK FOR DODGERS LOSS PUTS THEM 1 1/2 GAMES BACK ARIZONA 9, DODGERS 2.

Byline: TONY JACKSON  Staff Writer

The Dodgers have searched all season for the secret to beating Arizona's Miguel Batista, an otherwise nondescript veteran right- hander who in three previous starts this year had effectively had his way with them.

Suffice to say, this wasn't it.

In a hideous 9-3 pounding by the Diamondbacks that dealt the biggest blow yet to the Dodgers' sagging playoff hopes, they allowed Batista to sail though eight innings on a disturbingly economical 101 pitches.

It might be a sign the Dodgers are pressing. It might be a sign the Dodgers are panicking. But it absolutely, positively was an unmistakable sign that on an evening when they simply couldn't afford to leave anything to chance, the Dodgers didn't have much in the way of a game plan against Batista.

Batista missed the strike zone with 38 of his pitches and walked three batters. Still, the Dodgers refused to work counts and refused to make him break a sweat.

In fact, there was one point between the fifth and sixth innings when Batista recorded five outs on seven pitches.

``He kept the ball down and used a lot of cutters,'' Dodgers outfielder Marlon Anderson said. ``He got a lot of groundballs and a lot of outs early in the count, which always helps you go deep into the game. It was a tough night for us all around, I think.''

Meanwhile, it was the same, sad story when it came to the Dodgers' pitching.

They got another short start, this one from Brad Penny, and another predictable implosion from a worn- out bullpen. But by the time it got that far, the Diamondbacks had the game well in hand, and the Dodgers were well on their way to falling 1 1/2 games behind San Diego in the National League West and a half-game behind Philadelphia for the wild-card.

It marked the first time since Aug.10 that the Dodgers weren't at least tied for the lead in one or the other.

The Dodgers seemed to have a handle on Batista in the beginning, scoring three times in the first inning after four of the first five Dodgers batters reached base against him. But the exception to that was Jeff Kent, who in what should have been a portent of things to come grounded weakly to third on the first pitch with Nomar Garciaparra on second, none out and Batista clearly struggling.

An inning later, the score was tied 3-3, and Batista wasn't struggling anymore. He allowed only two hits, and no runs, the rest of the way. The Dodgers didn't get another runner past second base against him on an evening when their overanxious hitters clearly would have been better served by taking a few more pitches and working a few more counts.

``On this night, we could have, yes,'' Dodgers manager Grady Little said. ``We need to look at doing a lot of things better than we did. ... A loss is a loss, and we'll just continue playing. But we're in a position now where we have to do a little more scoreboard watching.

``That's a bad position to be in, but we're in it.''

The Dodgers (81-74) will play their final regular-season home game this afternoon. They need a win just to break even on a 10-game homestand they had hoped would give them precious breathing room before they embark on a treacherous season-ending trip to Colorado and San Francisco. Now, if the Dodgers are going to make the playoffs, they're going to have to do it on the road.

Penny (16-9) felt stiffness in his back in the first inning, prompting a visit from Little and assistant trainer Matt Wilson.

``He said he was OK to pitch,'' Little said. ``He tried to get through that. I don't know how much of a factor it was. He was throwing the ball well, but he mislocated some pitches.''

But Penny, who was lifted for a pinch hitter in the bottom of the fifth, never seemed to get comfortable and was in trouble in all five of the innings he pitched. Although he struck out seven, the Diamondbacks got to him for five runs (four earned) on nine hits.

Arizona put the game out of reach with a run off Mark Hendrickson in the seventh and three more off Elmer Dessens in the ninth.

Batista (11-7) improved to 3-0with a 2.70 ERA in four starts against the Dodgers this year, including a complete-game, six-hit shutout July 19.

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CAPTION(S):

3 photos, box

Photo:

(1 -- color) Dodgers shortstop Rafael Furcal can't handle this ground ball, allowing a run to score in the fourth inning.

(2) Dodgers catcher Russell Martin tries to control the ball as Arizona's Chad Tracy scores from first on a double by Conor Jackson.

Michael Owen Baker/Staff Photographer

(3) KUO 

Box:

DODGERS VS. ARIZONA

- Tony Jackson