First Things First for Ishii

Thanks to Kazuhisa Ishii, the Dodgers won’t be heading into Fenway Park for the first time on a losing streak.

Ishii pitched eight sharp innings, Adrian Beltre and Juan Encarnacion hit consecutive homers and the Dodgers ended a three-game losing skid with a 6-1 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday night.

The Dodgers moved back into first place in the National League West, percentage points ahead of the San Diego Padres.

Ishii (8-3) won his third consecutive start for the Dodgers, who salvaged the last game of the series after scoring one run in the first two.

The Dodgers play at Fenway Park tonight for the first time.

The Brooklyn Dodgers and Red Sox met in the 1916 World Series, but the games in Boston were held at Braves Field because it was bigger than Fenway.

“I won’t be pitching there, but I’m excited to go,” Ishii said through an interpreter.

Staked to a 6-0 lead in the third, Ishii gave up one run and six hits, while striking out four and walking a season-low one. In his first 11 starts of the season, he had averaged 4.4 walks.

“We lost the first two games, so I just wanted to help the team win,” Ishii said. “I was really aggressive.”

Eric Gagne pitched the ninth in a non-save situation, giving up a walk and striking out one. He hadn’t pitched since June 2.

Gagne couldn’t wait to get to Fenway.

“There’s a lot of history there, the Green Monster, great fans, great city,” Gagne said. “It’s going to be exciting.”

It also will be a homecoming for Dodger owner Frank McCourt, who tried unsuccessfully to buy the Red Sox three years ago.

The Dodgers had 14 hits in the series finale after getting a total of 12 in the first two games.

Beltre and Encarnacion homered off Josh Towers in the third, giving the Dodgers a 6-0 lead. Beltre’s 15th homer of the season, a two-run shot, went to deep right-center.

Vernon Wells homered in the fourth to make it 6-1.

Towers (1-2) gave up six runs on eight hits in 2 2/3 innings.

“I’m pretty sure that is a disaster,” Towers said of his outing.

Dave Roberts led off the first with a bunt single, stole second and advanced to third on Towers’ errant pickoff attempt.

“I didn’t expect Roberts to do a first-pitch bunt. What a punk,” Towers said.

Cesar Izturis followed with an RBI single, and Shawn Green later hit a run-scoring double, giving the Dodgers a 2-0 lead.

Robin Ventura hit a run-scoring single in the second.

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ON DECK

Opponent -- Boston Red Sox, three games.

Site -- Fenway Park.

TV -- Fox Sports Net 2, today; Channel 11, Saturday; ESPN, Sunday.

Radio -- KFWB (980), KWKW (1330).

Records -- Dodgers 31-26, Red Sox 35-24.

Record vs. Red Sox -- 0-0.

Today, 4 p.m. -- Odalis Perez (3-3, 3.20 ERA) vs. Derek Lowe (5-5, 6.55).

Saturday, 12:15 p.m. -- Jeff Weaver (3-7, 4.24) vs. Tim Wakefield (4-4, 3.71).

Sunday, 5 p.m. -- Hideo Nomo (3-6, 7.33) vs. Pedro Martinez (6-3, 3.98).