Dodgers Don’t Prove Anything : Baseball: Rockies delighted with 2-1 victory. Strong Candiotti effort wasted again.

It’s really no secret, but the Colorado Rockies don’t much care for the Dodgers.

If you really want to know the truth, the Rockies can’t stand them.

Colorado Manager Don Baylor and his team are sick of hearing about the great Dodger tradition. They despise their arrogance. They get nauseous when Tom Lasorda talks about that “Great Dodger in the Sky.”

This is why the Rockies took great delight Friday night in knocking off the Dodgers, 2-1, in front of a paid crowd of 34,263 at Dodger Stadium, proving at least to themselves they can win the National League West.

“We know they should be the class of this division,” Baylor said. “They keep saying they are. But you have to prove it on the field.

“When we can’t prove it on the field, it bothers me.”

Baylor’s sentiment toward the Dodgers stems from his playing days with the Angels. The Angels were considered the second-class citizens in Los Angeles. Baylor never forgot.

“I remember beating them four straight here [in 1993],” Baylor said, “and they have four different excuses why they shouldn’t have lost.

“Then I guess, when you have sort of a brawl or whatever between teams [in 1993], it kind of starts a rivalry.

“Being a three-year club, we’ve had our share of things with this club.”

The Rockies (32-28) moved back into first place, half a game over the Dodgers (32-29).

“These things just shouldn’t happen, but they do,” said Dodger starter Tom Candiotti (4-6), who has won only three of his last eight starts despite a 1.11 earned-run average in that span. “Nineteen times out of 20, we win this game. We just don’t do things we need to do.”

The Dodgers, who gave away the game with two unearned runs in the first inning, shook up their bullpen after the game. They optioned relievers Greg Hansell (7.45 ERA) and Omar Daal (6.14 ERA) to triple-A Albuquerque, and recalled right-handed reliever Jose Parra from Albuquerque and left-hander John Cummings from double-A San Antonio.

“It was time for us to see whether someone else can help us,” said Fred Claire, executive vice president.

The Dodgers could have used a little help when they nearly stole the game back in the ninth inning.

Limited to three hits through the first eight innings, they came to life in the ninth when Eric Karros hit a leadoff home run and Raul Mondesi hit a one-out double. Baylor went to his bullpen and summoned Darren Holmes.

Tim Wallach hit a slow roller to shortstop Walt Weiss, and was thrown out at first by a step for the second out. That brought up Billy Ashley, who walked on four pitches.

Lasorda called upon left-handed pinch-hitter Dave Hansen. Baylor countered with lefty Mike Munoz. Lasorda called back Hansen and sent up right-handed Mitch Webster.

Lasorda paced to the end of the dugout, pulled off infielder Chad Fonville’s cap, and kissed him on top of the head for good luck. It didn’t help. Two pitches later, Webster hit a lazy fly to right field, ending the game.

“We’ve got to get runs on the board,” Lasorda said. “It’s that simple. Our pitchers can’t do it alone.”

Candiotti knows the feeling. The Dodgers have this nasty habit of performing their Keystone Kops routine during Candiotti’s games, and assured him in the first inning that the act was alive and well.

It began when Mike Kingery hit a one-out bouncer to third baseman Wallach, who bobbled it for his first error of the season.

Kingery stole second base, but it appeared to be of little consequence when Dante Bichette flied to left. Candiotti then walked cleanup hitter Larry Walker, setting up an avalanche of woes.

Andres Galarraga’s single scored Kingery and sent Walker to third base. On the first pitch to Vinny Castilla, Galarraga took off for second base. Catcher Mike Piazza’s throw was in the dirt, and Walker scored on the double steal.

It was the fourth steal of home in Rocky history, and the first time they have stolen three bases in one inning.

“I’m still waiting for things to even out,” Candiotti said, “but it’s sure getting frustrating waiting.”