Sunny Side Is Up for Gagne

To Dodger closer Eric Gagne, save No. 44--the one that sealed a 4-3 victory over the Atlanta Braves before a sellout crowd of 54,212 in Dodger Stadium Saturday; the one that tied Todd Worrell’s franchise record, set in 1996, the one that gave the Dodgers their 13th win in 16 games--did not carry a whole lot of significance.

“It’s not that big a deal,” Gagne said after the Dodgers increased their National League wild-card lead over San Francisco to 4 1/2 games and moved to within seven games of first-place Arizona in the NL West. “It’s fun to be a part of history, but first place in the wild card is what I’m trying to think about all the time.”

To others in the Dodger clubhouse, it’s more than a big deal. In fact, if players don’t go on strike this Friday and the Dodgers reach the playoffs for the first time since 1996, it will be Gagne who likely seals the deal.

Right fielder Shawn Green is having another most valuable player-type of season, which included a two-run homer in the third inning Saturday, and the rotation and bullpen have been among the league’s best all season.

But if there is one singular reason why the Dodgers are in playoff contention, and why they are 24-11 in one-run games this season after going 29-29 in such games in 2001, it is Gagne.

The starter-turned-reliever with the 97-mph fastball and devastating changeup is 44 for 47 in save opportunities. He is 2-1 with a 1.92 earned-run average in 63 appearances, striking out 89 and walking 11--two intentionally--in 65 2/3 innings.

After starting the ninth inning Saturday by walking Gary Sheffield--who two innings earlier had lost a fly ball in the sun, a major factor in the Dodgers’ winning rally--Gagne struck out Chipper Jones, whose seventh-inning homer had given the Braves a 3-2 lead. When shortstop Cesar Izturis’ error allowed the Braves to put runners on first and second with one out, Gagne got Vinny Castilla to bounce into a game-ending double play.

“Gagne has been fabulous--there really aren’t words to describe the guy,” Manager Jim Tracy said. “The expectation level he’s set for himself ... [he just says] get that ball to me in the ninth inning, and I’ll close that door and lock it for you.”

Jeff Shaw was a solid closer last season, going 3-5 with a 3.62 ERA and 43 saves, but he also blew nine save opportunities and didn’t have Gagne-caliber stuff, the kind of pitches that enable a closer to dominate.

“Not to take anything away from Shawn Green, but [Gagne] is probably the biggest reason we’re where we are today,” said Marquis Grissom, whose seventh-inning RBI single Saturday tied the score, 3-3. “He gives us the feel late in games that we’re going to win.

“And this could be something huge going on for a long time. With his attitude and mentality, he has a chance to break some records. I know it’s early, but I know greatness when I see it.”

The Dodgers also know good fortune when they see it, and they got just enough of it to beat the Braves for the second straight game. An error by Castilla, the Atlanta third baseman, preceded Green’s 38th homer of the season in the third, and a well-placed celestial body--otherwise known as the sun--keyed the Dodgers’ comeback in the seventh.

After Green’s homer--which gave him 100 runs batted in this season--the Braves countered with single runs in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings, taking a 3-2 lead on Jones’ homer off reliever Jesse Orosco in the seventh.

Izturis opened the bottom of the seventh with a shallow fly to right, but Sheffield, who played left field for the Dodgers in 2000 and 2001, lost the ball in the sun, allowing Izturis to reach on a gift double.

Jolbert Cabrera, called up from triple-A Las Vegas to replace the injured Brian Jordan and working on three hours’ sleep after flying from Tucson Saturday morning, advanced Izturis to third with a sacrifice bunt. Mark Grudzielanek walked, and Grissom lined an RBI single to left for a 3-3 tie.

Green then walked to load the bases for Paul Lo Duca, who got under a Tom Glavine pitch but drove it deep enough to left field to score Grudzielanek for the go-ahead run.

“The sun was horrible--when I played left field [here] it was never a problem,” Sheffield said. “I tried to let the ball come out of the sun, but I never saw it.”

Reliever Paul Shuey retired the final two batters in the seventh to gain the win, Paul Quantrill threw a scoreless eighth, and Gagne provided the finishing touch.

“He has an awful lot to do with us being 24-11 in one-run games,” Tracy said. “And we’ve given him a lot of practice.”