‘Pen Writes a New Ending

Like chocolates resting on turned-down hotel sheets, certain aspects of the game are becoming pleasantly routine occurrences for the Dodgers.

Nomar Garciaparra driving in a key run. Brett Tomko making a quality start. J.D. Drew reaching base multiple times. Russell Martin catching a solid game.

And when those givens are complemented by surprise contributions, the Dodgers can produce a tidy, taut victory, as they did in beating the Colorado Rockies, 5-4, Monday night at Coors Field for their eighth win in 10 games.

The bullpen for a change raised only a few hairs on the back of Manager Grady Little’s neck.

For the second game in a row, Little opted to let his setup reliever double as closer rather than risk bringing in slumping Danys Baez. On Sunday it was Joe Beimel, and this time it was Takashi Saito, who had an uneventful eighth and gave up a home run to Matt Holliday with one out in the ninth before retiring the last two batters for his first major league save.

“It was purely a gut feel to stay with him after watching the way he went through the eighth,” Little said.

Saito, a rookie who spent 14 seasons in the Japanese League, will share the closer role with Baez -- who has blown his last four save opportunities -- until Eric Gagne returns at the beginning of June.

Little said he would employ Baez and Saito according to matchups rather than assign them rigid roles. Beimel, a left-hander, might be called upon again in the late innings as well.

Of course there is less pressure on the bullpen when a starter turns in performances as strong as Tomko has of late. He threw 67 strikes in 101 pitches over seven innings and settled down after giving up an unearned run in the first and an earned run in the second.

Tomko has been known to let bad fortune get to him, but he withstood a throwing error by third baseman Olmedo Saenz and two early bloop hits to retire 15 in a row from the second through seventh innings.

“I laughed about it because that’s this place,” he said of the first two innings. “Coors Field is crazy. When they got that second run I told myself to calm down.”

Tomko (5-1) has won four of his last five starts; the other was a no-decision. He said an improved changeup has helped.

“I’ve taken about four mph off of it, it’s down to 79 or 80,” he said. “Everybody knows I’m a fastball pitcher and now guys can’t sit on my heater. The changeup has given me a big advantage.”

Tomko also contributed to the offense, drawing one of the Dodgers’ six walks to lead off the seventh and scoring from second on Garciaparra’s single to right field by making a twisting, head-first slide to the inside of catcher Danny Ardoin.

“He’s an athlete,” third base coach Rich Donnelly said of Tomko. “He’s not slow.”

The run snapped a 2-2 tie, and Drew extended the lead moments later with a two-strike double against left-handed reliever Ray King that scored Rafael Furcal and Garciaparra.

“Drew’s hit was the best at-bat of the night,” Little said.

The Dodgers had other pleasant surprises besides Saito’s save. Jeff Kent, batting .138 on the road, doubled three times and drove in the second run. And switch-hitter Jose Cruz Jr., batting .188 left-handed, homered in the second inning. It was only his second homer of the season.

“Guys are starting to swing the bats well,” Drew said. “We are doing the little things, whether it is taking a base on balls or getting key hits.”

The Dodgers (20-19) are over .500 for the first time since they were 4-3 on April 10.

“Our starting pitching has been good all down the line,” Little said. “We have shown an ability score runs, so right now, we like our chances.”