Dodgers Can See More Good Signs

PHOENIX — A bullpen is a place for pitchers to prepare. But the Dodgers turned the Arizona Diamondback bullpen into the final resting place for baseballs off the bats of Jeff Kent and Olmedo Saenz on Friday night.

Kent hit a grand slam to overcome an early deficit and Saenz hit a two-run home run that put the Dodgers ahead to stay, both balls hooking neatly into the bullpen and buzzing over the heads of the Diamondback pitchers.

The power display was enough for the Dodgers to overcome two errors by third baseman Antonio Perez, two balks by Derek Lowe and two Diamondback home runs in a 7-4 victory before an announced 26,601 at Bank One Ballpark.

It marked the first time in nearly a month the Dodgers (25-22) have won two in a row.

Eric Gagne notched his second save of the season and second in as many days and pronounced himself ready to take the ball again today.

“I’m getting more consistent in my delivery,” he said. “I want to keep going. Whatever it takes. We need more wins.”

On this night, long balls were essential to taking a lead and getting it back.

Kent stepped to the plate in the third inning batting .186 in May and crushed the first pitch from left-hander Shawn Estes, who had created the jam by walking Cesar Izturis and Jayson Werth after Perez opened the inning with a single.

It was Kent’s 12th grand slam, increased his team-high run batted in total to 38, and handed Lowe a 4-2 lead.

The Diamondbacks struck first when Craig Counsell singled to lead off the first and moved to second and third on balks. The momentarily flustered Lowe gave up a home run to Jose Cruz Jr., then settled down until the seventh when Manager Jim Tracy summoned left-hander Kelly Wunsch to face pinch-hitter Tony Clark with two out and a runner on first.

Wunsch has excelled at retiring left-handed hitters, but the switch-hitting Clark, batting right-handed, belted his first pitch into the left-field stands to tie the score. Wunsch (1-0) got the victory because Saenz homered in the eighth.

“Kelly’s done a great job all year,” Lowe said. “I understand the move. It turned Clark around and made him bat right-handed.”

It’s Lowe’s nature to accentuate the positive. He couldn’t wait to get on the phone with Estes, his roommate when both played for the Seattle Mariners in the early 1990s.

The reason? Lowe doubled off the right-field fence in the fifth inning against him. Estes, no doubt, would remind Lowe that he stole second in the second inning, Estes’ first stolen base in 11 major league seasons.

Lowe has had trouble holding runners close all season, and when the speedy Counsell walked in the fifth, pitching coach Jim Colborn visited the mound to emphasize holding him close. Lowe threw over several times and Cruz bounced into a double play to end the inning.

Lowe also was hit by a line drive, just as he was earlier in the season here. This time the smash by Alex Cintron hit Lowe on the backside, and he chased down the ball and threw him out.

Before the game Lowe howled as he watched Chicago Cub pitcher Mark Prior on television getting hit in the elbow by a line drive.

“I’ll get hit again this year, I guarantee it,” Lowe said. “Guys try to hit the ball back through the middle against a sinkerball pitcher.”

And occasionally guys hit the ball into the bullpen when they are just trying to hit it hard.

“The ball carries good in this ballpark,” Saenz said. “We needed something to get us going. We need to put together a winning streak.”