First Place an Alien Concept in L.A.

It’s been said that the injury-plagued Dodgers are fielding a triple-A team. After falling to the San Francisco Giants, 4-1, Sunday, they can even borrow the nickname of their affiliate.

The Las Vegas 51s are so named because of the city’s proximity to Area 51, a military facility the government will not discuss.

The Los Angeles 51s could be so named because they have 51 losses four days after the All-Star break, a painfully public plight the front office will not acknowledge.

Owner Frank McCourt, General Manager Paul DePodesta, Manager Jim Tracy and pitcher Jeff Weaver, among others, continue to insist that the Dodgers can win the National League West Division.

“If I didn’t believe it, I wouldn’t show up [today],” Weaver said.

Actually, the Dodgers (41-51) are off, so he has another day to think about it.

It might take time to get the latest loss out of his system. Weaver pitched well in front of an announced 47,719 at Dodger Stadium, but left after seven innings with the score tied, 1-1.

In the bottom of the inning, he ducked into the clubhouse after watching Jeff Kent get thrown out at first on an acrobatic barehanded play by Giant shortstop Omar Vizquel that stranded runners at second and third.

“It was an unbelievable play in a situation we could have taken the lead,” Weaver said.

A day after the Dodgers won in the ninth, they lost in the ninth when Michael Tucker homered with two on against Yhency Brazoban, who retired the first two batters but gave up a double to Jason Ellison and hit pinch-hitter Alex Sanchez with a pitch before facing Tucker.

The Dodgers had five doubles but left nine runners on base and squandered chances with runners in scoring position in the second, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth innings. Outfielder Ricky Ledee doubled and singled in his first start since coming off the disabled list but was left on base both times.

Outfielder Jayson Werth, who scored the only run but failed to deliver three times with a runner at second, said the failures are not the result of a lack of effort.

“We are going out there every day and putting it on the line,” he said. “Lately we aren’t getting the results.”

The Dodgers dropped three of four in the series and have lost 22 of their last 30. They have been especially bad on the road and begin a six-game trip to Philadelphia and New York on Tuesday.

The constant refrain from Dodger decision makers is that the West can be won. Tracy even said an 81-81 record might take the division. But maintaining that sliver of hope could cloud the judgment of DePodesta as the July 31 trading deadline approaches.

Every time the first-place San Diego Padres lose -- as they did Sunday -- Dodger hopes persist.

But rather than trading prospects from the talent-rich farm system in a desperate attempt to get back in the race, might it be time to acknowledge that the injuries have taken a toll that even the imminent return of outfielder Milton Bradley and third baseman Jose Valentin can’t fix?

“Any time you look at the loss column and find yourself eight games out with more than two months of baseball to be played, anything is possible,” Tracy said.

Anything? Aliens from Area 51 could fly in from Nevada rather than Bradley and Valentin when they complete their rehabilitation assignments with the Las Vegas 51s. After all, the number refers to a block of land where the government is rumored to harbor alien spacecraft.

Barring that dubious scenario, the Los Angeles 51s -- a.k.a. the Dodgers -- probably will remain lost in space.