Park Poses a Dual Threat

MILWAUKEE —  His thoughts have been clouded by contract negotiations, making Dodger pitcher Chan Ho Park restless.

Park acknowledges the unresolved situation has affected his performance, turning the first month of the season into a nightmare.

On Wednesday, Park finally began to wake up.

The right-hander put his personal situation aside and powered the Dodgers to a 3-2 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers with his arm and bat.

Park (2-2) struggled at times but gave up only two runs in 6 2/3 innings. He also put the Dodgers ahead for good in the sixth with a two-run double.

His strong overall performance in front of 10,669 at County Stadium helped the Dodgers win their second in a row over the Brewers.

Of course, Park had help.

The Dodger bullpen had its second effective performance in as many nights, protecting the lead for the starter.

Onan Masaoka came through first, getting cleanup batter Jeromy Burnitz to fly out in the seventh after relieving Park with the tying run at third and two out. Setup man Alan Mills created a jam in the eighth by giving up consecutive one-out singles to David Nilsson and Marquis Grissom. But Geoff Jenkins lined into an inning-ending double play.

Closer Jeff Shaw worked a scoreless ninth to earn his sixth save in as many opportunities, putting the Dodgers at 11-10.

Left fielder Gary Sheffield continued his longtime feud with home plate umpire Eric Gregg, getting ejected in the ninth for arguing balls and strikes. Sheffield’s one-out, run-scoring single in the third provided the Dodgers’ first run.

Park’s performance was the most encouraging news of the night for Manager Davey Johnson, who has been waiting for Park to revert to form.

“I knew he was probably a little disappointed early [in Wednesday’s game] about his performance in his last start,” Johnson said, alluding to Park’s 2 2/3-inning outing in a 12-5 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals last Friday.

“He may have been a little uptight about that in the first [when Park gave up a run], but he settled down and everything was a lot sharper after that. He hit and pitched and gave us exactly what we needed. That’s more [of] what I expect from him.”

Park, eligible for salary arbitration after the season, was pounded in three of his first four starts while his focus waned. He became the first pitcher this century to give up two grand slams in an inning when Cardinal third baseman Fernando Tatis connected twice last Friday.

On Wednesday, Park gave up eight hits. He struck out six and walked three while throwing 112 pitches, 67 for strikes.

The on-again, off-again contract discussions between Park’s agent, Steve Kim, and Dodger General Manager Kevin Malone became a distraction Park could not overcome, the 25-year-old player said.

“Well, it [his desire to sign a multiyear deal] was bothering me, because I was trying to show them I’m good,” Park said of putting pressure on himself to start fast. “This is big for me [because] it’s my first time [dealing with this type of contract situation].

“But that was wrong. I don’t want to do that anymore. I don’t want to talk about the contract anymore. I still think about it a little bit, but I don’t get pressure from it.”

Park put pressure on the Brewers in the sixth.

Raul Mondesi singled to open the sixth and stole second. With two out, Brewer starter Steve Woodard (2-2) intentionally walked Todd Hundley for the second time to face Park. Hundley was batting only .151 at that point.

Park made the Brewers pay with a double to center field, driving in Mondesi and Hundley to give the Dodgers a 3-2 lead. It was the pitcher’s first double of the season and seventh of his career.

Johnson said he had no intention of removing Park for a pinch-hitter.

“I needed him to get me to that point,” Johnson said of Park, who got his second hit in 10 at-bats this season. “It wouldn’t have been as sweet if he hadn’t give me seven. Thank goodness for his bat, because we needed it.”

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* WALKER ERUPTS: Larry Walker hits three home runs in Colorado’s 9-7 victory over St. Louis. Page 6