SPLIT DECISION DODGERS RALLY IN EIGHTH PREVENTS SWEEP DODGERS 0-5, PITTSBURGH 6-3.

Byline: Brian Dohn Staff Writer

PITTSBURGH - The Dodgers needed this one. Losing a pair to the last place Phillies was bad. Getting six hits in a 6-0 shutout loss in the first game of a doubleheader against Pittsburgh was worse.

Getting swept in the doubleheader by the Pirates would have been catastrophic.

Instead, the Dodgers rallied for three runs in the eighth inning of the nightcap to beat the Pirates 5-3 and salvage a doubleheader split at Three Rivers Stadium. It was the Dodgers' 35th come-from-behind win this season but only the eighth time in 46 games they rallied from a deficit after the seventh inning to win.

The Dodgers (56-50) conclude their 10-game road trip with an afternoon game today. They're 5-4 on the trip so far.

``We were flat in the first game and struggling to score, so to come from behind and win is big,'' said Dodgers closer Jeff Shaw, who pitched a perfect ninth for the 150th save of his career. ``Now, it sets us up for the opportunity to win the series again. Everybody thought we were dead when we lost the first game of the series; now we have the opportunity to win the series again. That's what we want to do, win each series.''

The doldrums ended in the eighth inning of the second game when the bottom of the order produced. Adrian Beltre and Alex Cora, who combined for 11 RBI in a win last week in Colorado, were at it again.

Beltre, who hit a two-run homer in the fourth inning, doubled home Shawn Green to tie it 3-3 with one out in the eighth. Beltre has 14 RBI on the road trip. Cora then tripled in a pair of runs off reliever Marc Wilkins to give the Dodgers a 5-3 lead. It was more runs than the Dodgers combined to score in their previous four games, three of which they lost.

``If (Beltre) didn't get a double, I was probably going to get pinch-hit for there,'' Cora said. ``That's what I was thinking, and I was like, `Please, get a double or something,' and it worked out perfect.''

Matt Herges (8-0), who pitched two innings in the first game, recorded the win with a shutout inning in the second. He's the first Dodgers pitcher to win eight straight since Pedro Martinez did it in 1993.

The second game also marked the first starts for recently acquired right- hander Ismael Valdes and center fielder Tom Goodwin. Valdes, who started Monday but was interrupted by rain after two batters, threw 75 pitches in a solid four innings. He allowed a two-run homer to John Vander Wal in the first inning, but that was it. He struck out eight and walked three.

Goodwin's start wasn't as pleasing. He followed his 9-for-73 (.123) slump in July by going 0 for 4 with three strikeouts and a walk.

``(Valdes) showed me something going back-to-back, no rest and coming back the next night,'' Dodgers manager Davey Johnson said. ``I've never really asked a guy to do that before. It's a first for me, and the bullpen did a great job.''

In the first game, the Dodgers looked much like the team that got 17 hits in three games in Philadelphia. Gary Sheffield had a pair of doubles, but otherwise the Dodgers were lethargic in getting three other hits off Pirates lefty Jimmy Anderson (4-5) in eight innings.

In contrast, Dodgers lefty Carlos Perez allowed nine hits and five runs in four innings. The Pirates had at least two hits in each of the four innings and they scored in three of them. The final blow was Alex Ramirez's two-run double with two out in the fourth as the Pirates went ahead 5-0.

``With no disrespect to the Pirates and Phillies, but we know we have to beat these teams up,'' Herges said. ``(Anderson) pitched (guts) out both times against us, but last time we got into their bullpen. He had our number big-time.

DODGERS DEBUTS

Ismael Valdes and Tom Goodwin joined the Dodgers in Tuesday's second game against Pittsburgh. Their numbers:

IP H R ER BB K

Valdes 4 4 2 2 3 8

AB R H RBI BB K

Goodwin 4 0 0 0 1 3

DODGERS vs. PITTSBURGH

Time: 10:35 a.m., at Three Rivers Stadium

TV/Radio: Fox Sports Net 2; 1150-AM, KWKW-AM (1330 Spanish)

Matchup: The Dodgers end their 10-game road trip by sending sizzling right-hander Darren Dreifort (7-7, 4.46 ERA) against Pirates righty Jose Silva (7-4, 3.48). Dreifort is 3-0 with a 1.29 ERA since the All-Star break and is quickly regaining his form as one of the top pitchers in the upcoming free-agent class. Dreifort has allowed two hits in his last 14 innings and has a string of 18 1/3 scoreless innings. Silva pitched a perfect inning Monday before rain ended the start. He allowed six earned runs in three innings in his last start against the Dodgers, which came a year ago.

- Brian Dohn

CAPTION(S):

2 photos, 2 boxes

Photo:

(1 -- color) Pittsburgh's Luis Sojo slides in for a first-game double as Dodgers second baseman Mark Grudzielanek is late with the tag.

(2 -- color) The Dodgers' Ismael Valdes reacts after giving up a double to the Pirates' Warren Morris in the first inning of the second game.

Keith Srakocic/Associated Press

Box: (1) DODGERS DEBUTS (See text)

(2) DODGERS vs. PITTSBURGH (See text)