Dodger Message Clear After Dramatic Finish

No longer concerned about only qualifying for the playoffs, the Dodgers have a different agenda for the remainder of the season.

The National League West leaders are focused on sending a message to the rest of the major leagues’ elite, and they made a big impression Sunday on the Chicago Cubs after rallying for an 8-5 victory in front of a sellout crowd of 39,327 at Wrigley Field.

Trailing, 5-3, the Dodgers scored five runs in the eighth inning against the struggling Cub bullpen, getting consecutive two-out, two-strike, run-scoring singles from Cesar Izturis, Steve Finley and Milton Bradley.

“To finish this road trip off and win a game in as dramatic a fashion as we did today ... it’s a hell of a road trip,” said Manager Jim Tracy, whose team finished 4-2 on the trip.

General Manager Paul DePodesta agreed.

“Our guys have a lot of confidence right now,” said DePodesta, who joined the team in Chicago. “They feel like they can play with anybody and, yeah, I think that’s very important.”

The Dodgers again followed the proven plan of first-year batting instructor Tim Wallach, who has preached patience at the plate, which contributed to the departure of Cub right-hander Mark Prior after 6 1/3 innings, nine strikeouts and 111 pitches.

“We don’t go down easy,” Wallach said. “We may make some outs, but we make people work.”

And then the Dodgers applied pressure against a Cub bullpen short-handed because closer LaTroy Hawkins was serving a three-game suspension. They took advantage of slumping setup man Kyle Farnsworth (4-4) and relievers Jon Leicester and Glendon Rusch, delivering three timely hits.

With an opportunity to take two of three from the Cubs in the series and finish 4-2 in the season series, Tracy summoned closer Eric Gagne for a two-inning save.

Gagne, who last pitched Tuesday, was perfect with three strikeouts in his 35th save in 36 chances. He completed the victory for Duaner Sanchez (3-1), who stranded runners on the corners in the seventh after starter Jose Lima worked six innings.

Adrian Beltre hit his team-leading 33rd home run, breaking the club’s single-season record for a third baseman he had shared with Pedro Guerrero. Shawn Green had three hits -- his 17th homer among them -- as part of a 12-hit attack, and Bradley contributed three runs batted in and also put a scare into the Dodgers in the eighth.

Bradley, who has had right hamstring problems, jogged to first base after driving in the Dodgers’ last two runs with a shot off the wall in right-center. Team trainer Stan Johnston said Bradley experienced “very mild soreness,” and Bradley said there was an “80% chance” he would be in the lineup tonight against the Florida Marlins.

“As soon as I hit it, I felt it, so I eased up,” said Bradley, who sat out Thursday’s 6-5 loss to Cincinnati because of a sore hamstring. “I didn’t feel like it pulled, and I don’t feel any pain.”

The Dodgers said they served notice to the Cubs and other potential playoff opponents that they’re for real.

“Maybe this will make some people shut up,” Gagne said. “Maybe this shows people that we’re for real and we’re a good team.”

The Dodgers (69-47) maintained a 6 1/2 -game lead in the division over San Diego and San Francisco. The Cubs (63-54), Padres (63-54) and Giants (64-55) are tied for the wild-card lead.

The Dodgers made an impression on the Cubs.

“Prior pitched an unbelievable game, but you’ve got to give credit to them as well,” Cub shortstop Nomar Garciaparra said. “They didn’t give up, they got three big hits and they pulled it out.”

The Dodgers have been at their best against the best.

“It’s in the back of our minds that this is a possibility; we could play the Cubs if we continue on and make the playoffs,” Green said. “Obviously, the playoffs are a whole new ballgame, but it’s nice to win both series against them. It’s nice to win against the top teams in the league.”