So a trip that started with two losses in San Francisco concluded with three wins in the last four games and, they hope, momentum for the longest homestand of the year, with the first of 13 games on Monday against the Cubs and Greg Maddux.

Milton Bradley, who had to leave Sunday's game with a sprained finger that will probably sideline him a day or two, sensed a changed approach.

"We played the game better today than Saturday night, and we're headed home for a stretch against teams we should be able to take advantage of and make up some ground in the standings," Bradley said.

The Dodgers would like to believe they found a pair of starting pitchers over the weekend -- rookie Derek Thompson, who made an impressive if wasted debut on Saturday night, and Weaver, who had been a shadow of his workhorse self while battling through a dead arm the past month and struggling with a 7.79 ERA over his previous three starts.

"I hope it's the beginning of a Jeff Weaver run," said manager Jim Tracy. "If it is, and with the other two guys [Derek Lowe and Brad Penny] and the back end of the bullpen we have, we'll be in good shape."

In addition to spending virtually every day rebuilding the strength in his throwing arm, Weaver made a couple of mechanical adjustments during bullpen warmups before Sunday's game and again warming up on the mound for the second inning -- after he had loaded the bases in the first inning with a pair of hit batsmen and a walk.

Weaver, who was staked to a 4-0 lead after an inning and a half, allowed Arizona back into the game on Chris Snyder's two-run homer in the second. But he settled down after that, pitching out of a fifth-inning jam and leaving after six innings with his fifth win.

Weaver said he tinkered with his delivery, lengthening his stride to drive pitches lower in the zone and closing his shoulder quicker to give batters a shorter look at his release.

But the key was arm strength and increased velocity, a fastball that hovered around 85 mph two weeks ago climbing to 91 mph on Sunday.

"I was able to get away with a few more mistakes because there was a bigger difference between the fastball and the off-speed stuff," Weaver said. "In the early innings, I wasn't sure how to use it, so I was effectively wild. When you throw 85, there's not much difference with the off-speed. Changing from 90 to 82, it's easier to keep them off balance. It was satisfying, especially after the game we played yesterday."

Weaver's comfortable cushion was provided mostly by the top of the batting order, which went after Arizona starter Russ Ortiz with an aggressive approach.

Cesar Izturis, who had three hits, led off the game with a triple and was doubled home by Jayson Werth, who also doubled Izturis into scoring position in the second inning. Antonio Perez had two hits and two walks, raising his average to .529, and the Dodgers received sacrifice flies from Hee-Seop Choi and J.D. Drew.

Milton Bradley  /   CF
		Born: 04/15/78 Height: 6'0" Weight: 205 lbs Bats: S / Throws: R More info: Player page Stats | Splits Gallery Team Site | Shop

"We bounced back from last night in fine fashion," said Tracy. "We saw a lot of what we saw the first two and a half weeks, situational hitting. The execution was good. It's a good game to build on."

There is, however, the uncertain status of Bradley. He popped out for the third time in the ninth inning, and at the end of his backswing he felt a sharp pain on the palm of his right hand where it meets the fourth finger. X-rays were negative, and it was termed a sprain of the metacarpal.

Bradley said he might have an MRI on Monday or Tuesday. Tracy said he likely will start Monday's game with the outfield that finished Sunday's game -- J.D. Drew in center, Werth in right and Ricky Ledee in left.

"It felt like somebody yanked my finger," Bradley said. "It's been sore, but it didn't really hurt until that swing. It's been sore from getting jammed."

Bradley said opponents are pitching him inside lately and he's been unable to adjust.

"Lately, they've used a different approach -- in, in, in," said Bradley. "When I'm right, I don't chase those and get myself out. For some reason, I'm trying to get to it instead of laying off. I'm not doing something right."

Although he singled his first at-bat on Sunday, Bradley is in a 2-for-22 funk. In the six games on the trip, his average has fallen from .323 to .298.

This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.