Los Angeles hangs hopes on lively pitcher Lima

LOS ANGELES — He sings, he dances. He serves as the Los Angeles Dodgers’ unofficial cheerleader, racing around the dugout and constantly pumping up his teammates.

Most important, Jose Lima pitches — and well at Dodger Stadium.

He’ll pitch there tonight against the St. Louis Cardinals in the most important start of his life.

After beating Los Angeles by identical 8-3 scores in the first two games of the best-of-5 National League division series in St. Louis, the heavy-hitting Cardinals can put the Dodgers away with another win.

Optimistic Lima sees a bright side.

“If we win and push the series to Sunday, anything can happen,” he said Friday — an off day in the series. “I’ve got to come and give my heart to this team. If we lose, it’s see you in spring training.

“I want to stay in the playoffs a little longer — at least get to Sunday.”

Lima sang “God Bless America” and the national anthem before the Dodgers’ game against the Cubs on May 13. He also performed with his band, Banda Mambo, at the team’s annual Viva Los Dodgers Hispanic Heritage festival, and performed at The Conga Room, a Los Angeles nightclub, later that night.

Lima, who went 9-1 with a 3.08 ERA in Los Angeles and was 13-5 with a 4.07 ERA overall, will oppose Matt Morris, 15-10 with a 4.72 ERA.

“We feel good any time he goes out there,” Cards outfielder Jim Edmonds said of Morris, the ace in recent years but inconsistent this year.