Gagne Gets Dodgers Into a Save Place

The thunderous chants of “Beat L.A.” turned into a cascade of boos that seemed to bounce off every nook of the waterfront stadium.

All it took was for Eric Gagne to begin his ninth-inning trudge to the mound Thursday night.

“Gotta love it,” Gagne said. “Gotta love the fans. Especially the San Francisco fans.”

Especially after Gagne earned his first save of the season against the Dodgers’ most bitter rivals, his mound work in the Dodgers’ 6-4 series-salvaging victory silencing an announced SBC Park crowd of 40,147.

The victory was only the Dodgers’ third in their last 11 games

It was the first save for Gagne, who began the season on the disabled list because of a sprained right elbow and was not activated until May 14, since Sept. 26 of last year, which also occurred in San Francisco.

Gagne is a perfect 14 for 14 in career save opportunities against the Giants, but this one was not without drama. Far from it.

Gagne got Yorvit Torrealba to ground out to short and struck out pinch-hitter Lance Niekro.

But Michael Tucker doubled off the wall in right-center and Omar Vizquel followed with a double of his own, scoring Tucker.

The game ended, however, when Jason Ellison popped up to third baseman Antonio Perez, which was also only fitting.

Perez was four for four with a home run and three runs batted in.

He also turned in several good plays at third, including a clean grab and throw out of Vizquel on a sixth-inning bunt attempt.

“It was a big night,” said Perez, who was on the disabled list from April 9 through May 17 because of a strained left hamstring.

“I get more comfortable when I play every day. Then you feel better and I’m seeing the ball better.”

Perez gave the Dodgers a 2-0 lead in the second inning with his first home run as a Dodger, driving Giant starter Kirk Reuter’s 86-mph offering over the left-field wall with two outs. Perez’s homer scored J.D. Drew, who had walked.

Perez, who was acquired in an April 3, 2004 trade with Tampa Bay, gave the Dodgers a 3-0 lead in the fourth.

After Jeff Kent ended his 0-for-22 slump with a double, Perez singled to right, scoring Kent.

The beneficiary of the Dodgers’ early offense was starter Brad Penny.

Penny survived a shaky first inning, in which he threw 24 pitches, and lasted 7 1/3 innings before setup man Yhency Brazoban allowed the Giants to tie the score in the eighth.

Penny, who did not figure in the decision, was charged with two runs and gave up six hits with four strikeouts and a walk while throwing 94 pitches.

“He shut them down early and allowed us to jump-start our offense, before they could jump-start theirs,” Dodger Manager Jim Tracy said.

Said Penny: “They gave me the opportunity [for the win] with a three-run lead. “I should have gotten out of the [eighth] inning.”

In the Giants’ eighth, pinch hitter Deivi Cruz led off with a homer to left. With one out, Vizquel singled sharply to center before Tracy pulled Penny for Brazoban.

In the Dodgers’ ninth, Drew led off with a walk against left-handed reliever Jason Christensen, who was pulled in favor of Tyler Walker.

Perez, a pitch after the bunt sign was pulled, singled to right on a hit-and-run play, Drew moving to third.

Paul Bako worked the count full before walking and pinch-hitter Ricky Ledee singled up the middle, scoring Drew and Perez. Bako was thrown out at third, but Werth’s flare scored Ledee to make it 6-3.