Loaiza back in rotation, for now

Esteban Loaiza probably did enough Sunday to remain the Dodgers’ fifth starter, at least for the next week.

Loaiza, who earned the final spot in the rotation this spring but quickly lost it to Hong-Chih Kuo, was back starting and turned in five solid innings in the Dodgers’ 10-inning, 3-2 victory over the Colorado Rockies. He gave up two runs in five innings and lowered his earned-run average to 4.15.

“We’ve got to get some stability there,” pitching coach Rick Honeycutt said. “I would say that it will stay this way for now.”

Honeycutt said the reason he and Manager Joe Torre tinkered with the rotation was to find a way to get the most out of the bullpen. Nearly a month into the season, Honeycutt said he feels the most comfortable having two left-handers, Kuo and Joe Beimel, available in relief.

Loaiza made it through his five innings on 70 pitches and Honeycutt said the right-hander could probably throw 85 to 90 in his next start, Saturday in Colorado.

After the series in Colorado, the Dodgers probably won’t need a fifth starter for another two weeks. That would send Loaiza back to the bullpen, where the 14-year veteran said he sometimes has trouble dealing with the unpredictable work schedule.

“We’ll see what happens,” Loaiza said.

Not that Loaiza, whose last three outings were in relief, had much time to prepare for his latest start. He was told by Torre on Friday that he was back in the rotation.

Loaiza said he didn’t shake off catcher Russell Martin once and that Martin’s lead helped him blank the Rockies through four innings.

“He was . . . mainly staying away from hitters and changing speeds, and using his cutter and adding and subtracting from his fastball,” Martin said.

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Umpire Kerwin Danley, who was hit on the jaw by a 96-mph fastball from Brad Penny on Saturday night and had to be taken to Good Samaritan Hospital, wasn’t at Dodger Stadium on Sunday. Danley was released from the hospital Saturday night and was resting at his mother’s home in Culver City, umpire crew chief Greg Gibson said.

“He’s got a severe headache,” Gibson said.

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Pinch-hitting specialist Mark Sweeney drew a key 10th-inning walk, but remains one for 16 this season. Torre said he wants to get Sweeney a start at first base in one of the Dodgers’ three games in Florida. . . . Derek Lowe, who made a premature exit Wednesday because of tightness in his right elbow, said he will make his scheduled start Tuesday.

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