Randy Wolf

Randy Wolf said an offer from the Dodgers might have given him pause. But the offer never came, not even in the form of a proposal for arbitration. So on Wednesday, Wolf agreed to the terms of a three-year, $29.75-million deal with the Milwaukee Brewers that includes an option for a fourth year. "I have sentimental ties to L.A., obviously," said Wolf, who grew up in the San Fernando Valley and took a hometown discount to pitch for the Dodgers in 2007. "It made the decision a lot easier because the Dodgers weren't involved."

MILWAUKEE — Aaron Harang made history in his previous outing, and the Dodgers pitcher and his teammates on Thursday made sure they avoided a different kind of milestone. The Dodgers were in danger of losing their third consecutive game and being swept in a series by Milwaukee for the first time since the Brewers joined the National League in 1998. But the Dodgers avoided that fate with a 4-3 win to salvage one game at Miller Park. The victory was highlighted by the hitting of Matt Kemp, who had a solo home run, and Andre Ethier.

The Dodgers will head into a crucial three-game series in San Francisco this week without their best pitcher, as Manager Joe Torre said that left-hander Randy Wolf won't make his scheduled start against the Giants on Friday because of irritation in his left elbow. Wolf returned to Los Angeles on Tuesday night and received a cortisone injection from team physician Dr. Neal ElAttrache . Torre said he was hopeful that Wolf would only miss one start and went as far to make light of the situation, pointing out how Giants ace Tim Lincecum is also expected to be sidelined for the series because of back problems.

MILWAUKEE — The Dee Gordon effect was evident in the eighth inning Wednesday night, as Milwaukee Brewers reliever Francisco Rodriguez could attest. With the score tied and Gordon having just stolen second base, Rodriguez spun three times and threw behind Gordon to second baseman Rickie Weeks, just to keep the speedy Gordon — the potential go-ahead run — closer to the bag. Milwaukee defeated the Dodgers, 3-2, in 10 innings, but the moment reaffirmed how Gordon's blazing speed can rattle opposing teams, and why it's crucial to the Dodgers' hopes this season that Gordon, their leadoff batter, get on base.

Randy Wolf is 33 years old. He is in his 11th major-league season. But he has never pitched in the playoffs. "It's definitely a huge, gaping hole," Wolf said. Tonight, the left-hander will take the mound at Coors Field in what is arguably his most important start of the season, as he faces the team closest to the Dodgers in the standings. Wolf, who is 3-0 with a 1.99 earned-run average over his last three starts, said he doesn't expect to be any more nervous than usual.

Dodgers starting pitcher Randy Wolf is 3-3 this season with a 3.61 earned-run average, but there's another notable statistic: He has 11 no-decisions in 17 starts. Wolf said that's probably his career high at this point in a season -- "I don't think I've had more than 12 in a season, maybe 13" -- and he acknowledged that it briefly left him a bit frustrated. "As a starting pitcher you can have like a 6.

Randy Wolf had what he described as a pain-free bullpen this morning. "I let it go today in the bullpen," Wolf said. Wolf returned to Los Angeles from Arizona on Tuesday night after hyper-extending his elbow in a side session. He missed his scheduled start Friday because of the problem. "The only pitch that I didn't feel good throwing last time was my curveball," Wolf said. "So the first curveball I threw today, I was like, 'All right.' " The Dodgers still don't have a timetable for Clayton Kershaw's return, but the 21-year-old continued to report improvement on his separated non-throwing shoulder.

The fans at Dodger Stadium rose and roared as the left fielder stepped into the batter's box. The left fielder was Juan Pierre. That Manny Ramirez didn't receive the loudest ovation of the night in his first game back from a 50-game suspension was perhaps an indication that The Circus had become secondary to The Team. But Pierre's pivotal seventh-inning pinch-hit at-bat also highlighted something else: the Dodgers' inability to hit with men on base.

Randy Wolf won't be the first former Pepperdine pitcher to start the opening game of a major league playoff series. . . . In 1986, Cy Young Award winner Mike Scott outdueled Dwight Gooden in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series, helping the Houston Astros defeat the New York Mets, 1-0, in the Astrodome. . . . Scott also won Game 4 and was named MVP of the series even though the Astros lost in six games. . . . Matt Holliday of the St. Louis Cardinals is the Manny Ramirez of 2009, the midseason pickup of the year.

High on a hill, Pepperdine overlooks the beaches Randy Wolf rarely visits and the Pacific Ocean he rarely notices. Growing up in West Hills, Wolf often found himself at Pepperdine with his father, but the only place on that big hill he longed to be was atop a little mound. "From the time I was 9 or 10, a Pepperdine baseball game was one of my favorite places," he said. Now that mound is Wolf's.

At a time of teacher layoffs, budget cuts and constant uncertainty in the Los Angeles Unified School District, four members of the National League Central Division champion Milwaukee Brewers are creating excitement and pride at their old City Section high schools. And maybe providing something resembling a local rooting interest in the Major League Baseball playoffs. Outfielder Ryan Braun and pitcher Kameron Loe played for Granada Hills High. Pitchers Randy Wolf and Marco Estrada played for Woodland Hills El Camino Real and Sylmar.

You pitch for the Dodgers and you want to win a game? Easy. Don't give up any runs. Hiroki Kuroda has figured out that much. Backed by a two-run home run by Matt Kemp and a run-scoring double by Jerry Sands, Kuroda pitched 72/3 innings Tuesday night to lift the Dodgers to a 3-0 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers that ended their losing streak at three games. "The team is a little down right now," Kuroda said. "Somebody has to change something. The rotatino has been pitching well.

The absence of big-name players on the roster would seem to indicate otherwise, but the Dodgers' opening-day payroll was higher this year than it was in 2009, when the team made its last playoff appearance. Counting the five players who are on the disabled list, the Dodgers will pay the players on their opening-day roster more than $95 million, according to salary figures filed with the union. They are on the hook for an additional $15 million-plus in salary deferments from previous seasons.

Who knows how long the heart of the Dodgers' lineup will remain intact after Manny Ramirez , Casey Blake and some other Dodgers reportedly were put on waivers Wednesday. But for one night, at least, the core group again showed the offensive form that was supposed to help the Dodgers repeat as division winners. Ramirez, Andre Ethier , Matt Kemp and James Loney all contributed at least one run batted in, and Blake went two for five and scored a run, as the Dodgers defeated the Milwaukee Brewers, 5-4, to take the first two games of their three-game series.

Nick Green , called up Tuesday when veteran Rafael Furcal went on the 15-day disabled list, likely not only will replace Furcal at shortstop on occasion but play other positions as he's been doing in the minor leagues, Dodgers Manager Joe Torre said. "Right now my plan is still [ Jamey ] Carroll at shortstop" in place of Furcal, Torre said. Green, who had been playing at triple-A Albuquerque, is "a little more of a utility guy" who also can be used at second and third base, Torre said.

Tuesday through Thursday: Brewers at Dodger Stadium Friday through Sunday: Rockies at Dodger Stadium Randy Wolf is not scheduled to pitch when the Milwaukee Brewers visit Dodger Stadium this week, but one month into the season is not too soon to check the returns on the Dodgers' financial preference for Vicente Padilla over Wolf, who was their most dependable pitcher last year. Padilla, unenthusiastically selected by Manager Joe Torre as the Dodgers' opening-day starter, was 1-1 with a 7.06 earned-run average in four starts, then went on the disabled list.

Chad Billingsley has started 76 games in the major leagues. Hiroki Kuroda has started 31, Clayton Kershaw 21. Randy Wolf has started 241. And so the Dodgers signed Wolf to a one-year contract Friday, plugging a hole reserved for a veteran starter at the back end of the rotation. The contract guarantees the left-hander $5 million and affords him the chance to earn up to $3 million in incentives, starting at 170 innings pitched.

Randy Wolf said he would take the early birthday gifts he gave himself on Friday night -- the seven-innings of one-hit ball and the two-run double he hit in the second inning of the Dodgers' 2-1 victory over the Chicago Cubs at Dodger Stadium. But Wolf, who won his third consecutive start on the eve of his 33rd birthday, wouldn't accept the title of staff ace. "It's probably the most overused term for pitchers," Wolf said. "There are like four guys you can put in that category.

Chad Billingsley sounded as if he had experienced deja vu. "Didn't we have this conversation last year?" he asked. Well, yes. How the Dodgers didn't have a clear ace. How the rotation lacked experience. How the offense would have to carry them. Billingsley remembered. "We were sitting here last year talking about how our pitching staff was going to be weak," he said. And the Dodgers went on to post the lowest earned-run average in baseball. The renewed concern results largely from the departure of Randy Wolf — their most consistent pitcher last season.