ExploitsEarnedInterest

With the Dodgers still contending, even remotely, for the postseason, one thing is clear.

It comes as much from the turnstiles as it does from the field: Dodger Stadium attendance passed the 3-million mark for the sixth straight year.

If nothing else, it means the Dodgers still matter in this town, even as the Lakers appear to be in the early stages of another dynasty.

Wednesday night’s matchup with the San Francisco Giants was the last home game for the Dodgers. At least, that’s what the schedule says.

“Might be,” center fielder Marquis Grissom said. “Might not be. I’m hoping that it’s not.”

The only way for them to take the field at Dodger Stadium again would be to make the playoffs. (The Dodgers would host a one-game playoff if they finish tied with San Francisco, St. Louis or Atlanta for the division or wild card; they will play on the road if they tie with Arizona, Chicago or Philadelphia). Manager Jim Tracy, who looks a bit like a math teacher, is going strictly by the numbers at this point.

“Until we’re mathematically eliminated, we’re still in it,” he said.

What did the fans have to say in what was probably their last chance to see the Dodgers in person? The support was there in the numbers: 49,375 people showed up. And, from the sound of things, most of them weren’t there to catch a glimpse of Barry Bonds’ run at Mark McGwire’s home run record. (They did get to see him tie McGwire’s National League record of 162 walks.) They chanted derogatory chants. And they cheered when the Dodgers intentionally walked him with two out and a man on second in the seventh inning.

The fans really roared on the next play, when Paul Lo Duca blocked the plate, took a throw from Gary Sheffield and tagged out Marvin Benard.

They cheered every step of the way when the Dodgers manufactured a run in the eighth with two singles, a bunt and a sacrifice fly to re-take the lead.

They had been restrained for much of the night. They have not abandoned hope, but it was as if they don’t want to invest too much in what could be a lost cause.

The fans weren’t in the mood for “nice try” during this homestand. Dodger hitters who stranded baserunners or pitchers who gave up too many runs were subjected to loud boos.

But if nothing else, the Dodgers’ play this season brought them interest--which might be the hardest commodity to acquire in sports these days. Another year of high-priced underachievement and this group of players would start to feel really tired. Instead, the Dodgers gave their fans games that meant something in August and September, which is more than we’ve seen around here in recent years. Given their assortment of injuries, it’s hard to classify this season as a disappointment.

“If we get to 90 wins and we don’t get to postseason play, we did a great job,” Grissom said. “But I think not getting to postseason play is dissatisfactory for me and this team. We can’t complain. We’ve still got our fate in our own hands.”

Things certainly look better for the Dodgers than they do for the Boston Red Sox. It’s amazing what a dramatic shift has taken place for the two teams. In spring training, the Red Sox were a chic pick to win the World Series, while Sheffield’s trade demands made Dodgertown baseball’s most tumultuous camp.

But the Red Sox have turned into the biggest mess in baseball. They have fired a manager and the pitching coach and suffered through a series of Carl Everett outbursts. General Manger Dan Duquette is the most hated sports figure in Boston and has managed to alienate stars Pedro Martinez and Nomar Garciaparra. It’s made the Dodgers’ Chan Ho Park situation look like a campfire story-telling session.

For much of the season, Boston’s ability to contend for the American League East while Martinez, Garciaparra and Jason Varitek were on the disabled list provided a quick mute button to any Dodger complaints that they were the unfair victims of injuries.

But as the Red Sox faded, reality took the lead in the pennant races. Look at the divisional leaders and top contenders around baseball, and most are in pretty good shape for the final stretch. The Houston Astros are without Kent Bottenfield, but they haven’t missed him thanks to the emergence of rookie Roy Oswalt. The Arizona Diamondbacks are missing Matt Mantei and Todd Stottlemyre. The Philadelphia Phillies have played much of the season without catcher Mike Lieberthal. The Atlanta Braves don’t have shortstop Rafael Furcal. Cleveland doesn’t have starting pitcher Charles Nagy.

None of them had to go for so long without three-fifths of their original starting rotation, the way the Dodgers did.

But there’s still that nagging feeling that the Dodgers missed the opportunity to put the finishing touches on what could have been a really magical season. After all, the 1988 team didn’t let injuries in the postseason keep it from grabbing a World Series title.

“It doesn’t matter what kind of numbers you had during the course of the season,” Grissom said. “When you get there, you’ve got to get there.”

The Dodgers are running out of chances to get there ... even if “there” is just back here at Dodger Stadium.

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J.A. Adande can be reached at his e-mail address: j.a.adande@latimes.com