Quality Time for Dodgers

The story line hasn’t changed much from day to day for the Dodgers despite occasional surprises from a sputtering offense.

It’s still all about the major leagues’ top pitching staff, which continued to dazzle on Saturday night in a 4-1 victory over the Florida Marlins.

Left-hander Odalis Perez delivered another commanding performance before 38,248 at Dodger Stadium, frustrating the Marlins over eight innings in his seventh consecutive quality start.

Perez (3-2) gave up only three hits and shut down the Marlins after Luis Castillo’s solo home run in the first. His eight-strikeout outing provided another solid foundation, and Eric Gagne easily completed the job again.

The All-Star closer worked a perfect ninth with two strikeouts to record his 14th consecutive save this season and 22nd in a row spanning two seasons.

Just a typical game for Dodger pitchers.

“What we’re seeing develop right now is somewhat of an assurance among the group that we’re going to get a good pitching performance,” said Manager Jim Tracy, whose club will try to sweep the three-game series today.

“If we can go out there and create some runs to let our staff work as efficiently as it’s capable of working, then we’re going to be in good shape come the eighth and ninth inning. We really believe that every night. That’s the point we’re at with everyone on this staff.”

Catcher Paul Lo Duca provided the most help for his batterymates Saturday.

Lo Duca had his first four-hit game of the season and third of his career to pace an 11-hit attack on the day leadoff batter Dave Roberts went on the 15-day disabled list because of a severely strained right hamstring.

Lo Duca’s second home run, in the fifth, broke a 1-1 tie and put the Dodgers ahead for good. Jolbert Cabrera also homered, his third.

The Dodgers (23-20) moved a season-high three games above .500. They trail the National League West-leading San Francisco Giants by 4 1/2 games, the closest they’ve been since April 10.

The reason is simple: Pitching.

“Everyone on this staff is doing his part,” said Perez, who threw 83 strikes in 120 pitches. “We’re all helping the team.”

No one more than Perez.

The Marlins had two hits in the first but didn’t get another after Alex Gonzalez’s one-out double in the second. In one stretch from the fourth through seventh, Perez retired 10 in a row.

“It looked like we were going to have a field day, but we didn’t get a hit after the second inning,” said Marlin Manager Jack McKeon, whose team dropped to 19-25. “They’ve got some good pitching.”

Marlin left-hander Michael Tejera (0-2) had a quality start in six innings, but anything less than top-line performance won’t cut it against the pitching-rich Dodgers.

“He was getting ahead and throwing strikes,” Tejera said of Perez. “He threw a lot of first-pitch strikes.”

With Roberts sidelined, Tracy turned to a former top-of-the-order sparkplug: Adrian Beltre.

Although Beltre usually bats sixth, Tracy experimented with the third baseman in 2001, putting Beltre in the leadoff spot for 19 games. Beltre responded well to the challenge, batting .298 and hitting safely in 16 starts.

Beltre was hitless in three at-bats Saturday -- dropping his average to .190 -- but helped the Dodgers get started against the Marlins in the first.

He drew a five-pitch walk from Tejera and advanced to third on Lo Duca’s single, putting runners on the corners with none out and the middle of the order coming up. Shawn Green and Fred McGriff were unable to advance the runners, but Brian Jordan delivered again in a run-producing situation, singling to left to tie the score.

Seeking any positive reinforcement, Beltre was pleased about his contribution.

“I’m swinging the bat a lot better now,” he said. “You don’t always get the results you want, we’re not machines, but you just keep working and try to help the team. Whatever I can do, that’s what I’m going to do.”