WEAVER SHUTS DOWN ROCKIES DODGERS STARTER GOES DISTANCE IN 3-HITTER DODGERS 7, COLORADO 0.

Byline: Tony Jackson  Staff Writer

Baseball's biggest stages hadn't always been kind to Jeff Weaver. There was that momentum-turning home run he gave up to Florida's Alex Gonzalez in the World Series two years ago, which ultimately led to the New York Yankees' demise, and there was that division-series implosion against St. Louis last fall that sent the Dodgers to the brink of playoff elimination.

But on Monday night, when he started the latest in a long line of games the Dodgers simply couldn't afford to lose, the lanky right-hander finally found a way to shine brighter than the spotlight beaming down upon him. The result was his first complete-game shutout since April, this one a dominating three-hitter that for the Dodgers meant a 7-0 victory over the Colorado Rockies in front of 33,255 at Dodger Stadium.

Weaver, whose impending free-agent status and astronomic market value probably mean that he has four starts left in a Dodgers uniform, did what he could to prolong this season, pitching the surging, second-place Dodgers to within five games of division-leading San Diego in the National League West. His evening began when he gave up a leadoff single to Aaron Miles, then proceeded to set down the next nine Rockies in a row to preserve a 1-0 lead that came via first-inning doubles by rookie sensation Willy Aybar and Jeff Kent.

Then, in the bottom of the third, the Dodgers exploded for four more runs off Rockies rookie Jeff Francis, giving Weaver all the support he would need.

Not that he would have needed that much on this night.

``I knew from the time we were in the bullpen that he had something special,'' rookie catcher Dioner Navarro said. ``I even told him how good the movement was on his pitches. He was incredible. He worked with all his pitches and got ahead in the count to just about every batter. That was the key to getting the win.''

Weaver struck out nine, walked one, didn't allow a single runner to reach third base and allowed only three to reach second - one on a steal and another on an uncontested advancement with two outs in the ninth inning. He surpassed his previous career high of 13 wins, accomplished twice, and with four regular-season starts left clinched the first winning season of his career. And, by finishing the seventh inning, he became the first Dodgers pitcher this season to reach the 200-innings mark after being the club's only pitcher to get there last year.

``You can't say enough about the job he has done here over the last two years, being the workhorse of this staff and going deep into games every time he goes out there,'' Dodgers manager Jim Tracy said.

``I'm really pleased to see a guy who came in here at the beginning of last year with some adjustments that he had to make and see this guy grow into what he is becoming now. You have to feel awfully good about that.''

Of course, the Dodgers (66-77) would feel a lot better about it if Weaver wasn't so likely to leave after the season. He already makes $9.35 million in this final season of his four-year contract, a deal he signed with Detroit long ago, and his agent is notorious hardball negotiator Scott Boras, who already isn't on the best of terms with the club because of his handling of top draft pick Luke Hochevar this summer.

Thus, the likelihood is that Weaver (14-9), a Simi Valley High alum who grew up dreaming of pitching for the Dodgers, will walk. But not before he makes four more starts, including what could be a winner-take-all, regular season finale on Oct. 2 at San Diego.

``(Free agency) isn't on my mind at all, not one bit,'' Weaver said. ``If you start worrying about that stuff, it just adds confusion when you're out there and more stuff going through your mind. I'm here now, and that's all that matters to me. We just need to keep winning games and hopefully pursue getting to the playoffs, which is the only thing I have been looking for since the beginning of the season.''

Francis (12-12) was gone after four innings, having already given up five of the Dodgers' season-high-tying six doubles, not to mention six runs (five earned) on nine hits.

Tony Jackson,[phone]

tony.jackson(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

photo, 4 boxes

Photo:

Olmedo Saenz, right, scores in the third inning for the Dodgers.

Francis Specker/Associated Press

Box:

(1) DODGERS vs. COLORADO

(2) GAME RECAP

(3) HOW THE RUNS SCORED

(4) ALMANAC