Dodger Win Is a Bundle of Choi, 6-5

It has become tradition. Randy Newman’s “I Love L.A.” plays over the loudspeakers with each Dodger victory.

On Friday night, though, that catchy tune was drowned out by an Ode to Choi, no apologies necessary to Beethoven.

The moment the ball off the bat of Hee-Seop Choi hit the right-field foul pole for a game-winning home run in the ninth inning, the crowd began chanting the name of the Korean first baseman.

Choi snapped out of a slump with two home runs, helping the Dodgers to a 6-5 victory over the Minnesota Twins in front of an announced 46,713 at Dodger Stadium, and the dramatic shot came on the first pitch from left-handed reliever Terry Mulholland.

Not until Choi came out for a curtain call did most fans head for the parking lot. The walk-off homer made a winner of Eric Gagne, who retired the three batters he faced in the top of the ninth.

“I hit the home runs for the fans,” Choi said. “I love the fans.”

Choi got a hug from his closest friend on the team, Brad Penny. Only two days ago it was Choi hugging Penny, congratulating him for his three-year, $26-million contract extension that the Dodgers and Penny are expected to announce Sunday.

Meanwhile, Penny had to report for work. Two batters into the third inning, he hadn’t exactly pitched with the relaxed confidence of someone whose financial future is about to become secure.

The Twins jumped on Penny for five runs and nine hits before he settled down, retiring the last 12 batters he faced and departing with the score tied, 5-5. Dodger batters did their part, scoring four runs in the first to give Penny a nice cushion thanks to production from unlikely sources.

That Cesar Izturis and Choi were batting at the top of the lineup was more a testament to the conviction of Manager Jim Tracy than recent performance. Tracy’s faith was rewarded immediately when Izturis ended an 0-for-25 streak with a single. Choi followed with a home run.

Choi was a sickly three for 40 in his last 15 games. Just as alarming was his lack of patience -- normally one of his virtues. The first baseman had not walked since May 15 and his on-base percentage had dropped to .323.

The Dodgers weren’t finished in the first against Twin starter Joe Mays. With one out, Jeff Kent and Jayson Werth singled, and Antonio Perez hit a liner to right that was misplayed by Jacque Jones. It was scored as a single, but Kent and Werth scored and Perez steamed into third -- past third actually, where he was tagged out, preventing more damage.

Mays settled down and Penny didn’t, at least not for a while. After scoring one run in the first, the Twins added two in the second and two in the third.

Shannon Stewart left the game because of a bruised left wrist after catching Jason Grabowski’s drive and running full speed into the left-field fence at the foul pole, but not before hitting two doubles, scoring twice and driving in a run.

Penny seemingly became a different pitcher after Jones homered and Justin Morneau tripled to begin the third. He retired the next 12 batters, keeping the Dodgers within one until Kent scored the tying run with heads-up baserunning.

Kent stole second, getting a huge jump off Mays, advanced to third when catcher Joe Mauer’s throw sailed into center field, and scored on a wild pitch. The Dodgers loaded the bases with two out, but reliever Jesse Crain got pinch-hitter Mike Edwards to ground out.

“My breaking ball was terrible early, I was leaving it up,” Penny said. “Later I was locating my fastball better and not using the breaking ball.”

The Dodgers also had chances in the seventh and eighth. Izturis reached on a two-base error and Choi laid down a sacrifice bunt to begin the seventh.

But Drew grounded to third on a check swing, and after Kent was walked intentionally, Werth flied out to left field. In the eighth, pinch-runner Jason Repko hesitated before running and was tagged out trying to score on a swinging bunt by Izturis with two out.

The missed opportunities were forgotten when Choi, in only his 13th at-bat against a left-hander, homered. Had right-handed pinch-hitters Edwards and Olmedo Saenz not already been used, Choi might not have gotten the opportunity.

Not that he isn’t confident.

“He told me he was going to hit three home runs,” Penny said. “I asked him why he only hit two and he said it was because he had to lay down that sacrifice bunt.”