Perez Steps Up and Delivers for Dodgers

The series opener had lived up to advance billing and the reviews would have been favorable, then the final act left even the participants in awe as Barry Bonds and Eric Gagne upstaged the renewing of a rivalry.

Odalis Perez dazzled in eight shutout innings Friday night as the Dodgers got off to a fast start against the San Francisco Giants with a 3-2 victory at SBC Park, but a show-stopping encounter of baseball’s most dominant hitter and pitcher became the talk of the town.

Perez’s eight-inning, 10-strikeout performance laid the foundation for the Dodgers’ third consecutive victory as the teams met for the first time this season in front of a sellout crowd of 42,662, then the epic battle involving Bonds and Gagne provided a closing treat.

Bonds emerged victorious in a six-pitch at-bat -- which featured Gagne registering speeds of 99-101 mph with his fastball on the ballpark radar gun -- connecting on a 100-mph fastball for a two-run home run to center field that cut the Dodgers’ lead to 3-2 and threatened to ruin Perez’s work.

“That’s why he’s the greatest player ever,” Gagne said. “I have a lot of respect for him, I respected him and he killed it.”

The 2003 National League Cy Young Award winner responded to the challenge, retiring Pedro Feliz and Edgardo Alfonzo for his third save of 2004 and major league-record 66th in a row since Aug. 28, 2002.

The significance of the showdown wasn’t lost on the crowd or the Dodgers and Giants, who appreciated being present for the show.

“All of us that were at this game tonight will forever remember that confrontation and the outcome,” Dodger pitching coach Jim Colborn said. “That’s what the fans really want to see: the best pitcher against the best hitter.

“The best hitter was challenged with a fastball. The best hitter won.”

Said Giant closer Matt Herges: “That was the battle of the ‘super-humans.’ ”

Bonds -- third on the major league’s all-time list with 662 homers -- hit his fourth homer on a 2-and-2 count.

“That ball just hit my bat,” said Bonds, who was honored before the game with his Hall of Fame Godfather, Willie Mays. “It was straight cheddar.”

Gagne was pleased for the opportunity to face Bonds.

“That was my best time in baseball,” said Gagne, who has given up only nine home runs in two-plus seasons as a closer. “You’re facing the best ever, and there’s never going to be anybody like Barry Bonds.

“I just went out there and said, ‘That’s what I got, let’s see what happens.’ That’s why he’s got 600-and-something home runs. That’s why he’s the greatest ever.”

Perez (1-1) was a model of efficiency, throwing 70 strikes in 106 pitches. He gave up two hits.

“He’s had fire in his eyes since the beginning of the year,” Colborn said. “All the tumblers just haven’t clicked into place until tonight.”

Leadoff batter Dave Roberts and No. 3 hitter Milton Bradley provided the Dodger offense. Roberts scored three runs on Bradley’s three groundouts.

“You don’t have to hit them like Barry to get the runs home, and that’s a perfect example,” Bradley said. “All those balls together probably didn’t go half the distance his one did. It’s just playing the game. That’s the way you do it.”

Giant ace Jason Schmidt (0-1) was almost as good as Perez in a strong seven-inning outing, holding the Dodgers hitless until Roberts singled to start the sixth.

Schmidt gave up only three hits and two runs in an outing that would have been impressive under any circumstances, but he was also making his season debut after being sidelined because of shoulder tendinitis.

Schmidt dominated the Dodgers last season, going 3-0 with 1.44 earned-run average.

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Giant Gap

How the Dodgers compared with the San Francisco Giants in the last six seasons:

*--* DODGERS 1998-2003 GIANTS 506-462 (.521) Regular season record 557-414 (.574) None Playoff appearances 2000, 2002, 2003 None World Series appearances 2002 None Division titles 2000, 2003 46-48 Head-to-head record 48-46 435 Head-to-head runs scored 419

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