Dodgers Using Their Heads

There are easier ways to inspire teammates than taking a pitch off the batting helmet, but Milton Bradley does whatever he can for the Dodgers.

The center fielder’s biggest contribution Saturday night occurred during a scary moment that helped to fuel their fifth consecutive victory, 7-6, over the Arizona Diamondbacks at Bank One Ballpark.

Bradley left the game in the eighth inning after sidearm-style reliever Mike Koplove hit him on the helmet, and then the Dodgers rallied twice in the final two innings to stun the Diamondbacks and a crowd of 37,027.

“You try to find any kind of motivation you can to go out there with,” closer Eric Gagne said, “and seeing Milton like that definitely motivated us to go and win the game for him.”

After tying the score at 4-4 in the eighth on Jason Grabowski’s run-scoring single, the Dodgers scored three runs in the ninth to overcome a 6-4 deficit -- the big blow being Robin Ventura’s pinch-hit, two-run home run off Brian Bruney (2-3).

“When a guy gets hit, in a situation where you need a run and you get a guy on, it helps a little bit,” said Ventura, who hit his fourth career pinch-hit homer and the Dodgers’ fifth this season. “It kind of wakes you up.”

Gagne gave up a one-out single to Shea Hillenbrand in the bottom of the inning, but he struck out the side for his 25th save in 26 opportunities. Gagne finished the victory for setup man Guillermo Mota (7-3), whom the Diamondbacks scored twice against in the eighth to reclaim the lead.

The Dodgers (51-38) moved a season-high 13 games above .500 and maintained a 1 1/2-game lead over San Francisco in the National League West with their sixth consecutive victory over Arizona.

The Dodgers have won 11 of 12 and are 10-2 against last-place Arizona (31-61), which dropped 21 1/2 games behind the Dodgers in the division.

Bradley was fine and the Dodgers are still rolling.

“I’m kind of glad it happened,” Bradley said. “We got a win.”

The events of the eighth inning ignited the Dodgers.

Greg Aquino got the final out in the seventh in relief of Arizona starter Casey Fossum, who worked 6 2/3 innings, and retired the first two batters in the eighth. Koplove entered in a double-switch to face Bradley.

On a 1-and-2 pitch, Bradley was hit on the batting helmet and dropped to the ground as Koplove appeared to react in disgust.

Bradley, who was hit earlier in the game by a Fossum pitch, briefly stayed on the ground before springing to his feet and jogging toward first. Manager Jim Tracy greeted Bradley before he reached the bag and Bradley put his arms around Tracy, who was soon joined by trainer Stan Johnston.

Bradley draped his arms around both men as they spoke to him, and Chin-Feng Chen was summoned to run for Bradley.

“When you take a blow like that, we’re not taking any chances,” Tracy said. “That’s out-of-the-game time for me. That wasn’t a grazing hit. That was a flush hit to the back of the head.

“It’s just not something that you like to see. That’s a dangerous area. That can end careers.”

The encounter might have also rattled Koplove, who walked Shawn Green to put runners on first and second. Grabowski, hitting for reliever Giovanni Carrara, delivered with his seventh pinch-hit in 33 at-bats, driving in Chen from second to tie the score at 4-4.

“First, you want to make sure Milton is OK,” Grabowski said. “Then you want to get the pitcher back.”

Koplove phoned the Dodger clubhouse and spoke with Bradley.

“He called over and apologized,” Bradley said. “I know he never tried to hit me, because it’s a close ballgame..... I’m sure he feels bad enough, especially since they lost the ballgame.”