Regulars Rest Assured With Backups

Typical Dodgers. They’re so hot that even when it seems they’re not trying to win, they win.

Manager Grady Little took advantage of Saturday’s playoff-clinching win to rest all of his regulars for Sunday’s season finale, and the Dodgers still beat the Giants, 4-3, behind James Loney’s home run in the second inning, Ramon Martinez’s two-run double in the sixth and Julio Lugo’s tiebreaking run-scoring single in the seventh.

Left-hander Eric Stults gave up three runs -- two earned -- and four hits in five innings. Chad Billingsley, who will move from the rotation to the bullpen for the playoffs, Brett Tomko, Mark Hendrickson and Joe Beimel each pitched an inning of scoreless relief and the Dodgers extended their season-ending winning streak to seven games.

“There’s too much magic going on around here,” Loney said. “You want to be a part of it. The thing about this team is we have so many guys who can contribute.”

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Despite the uncertainty surrounding Brad Penny’s lower back, the Dodgers are leaning toward a 10-man pitching staff for the first round, which probably would leave Hendrickson and right-hander Aaron Sele off the division series roster.

The starters will be Derek Lowe, Greg Maddux, Hong-Chih Kuo and Penny. Top relievers Takashi Saito, Jonathan Broxton, Beimel and Tomko are expected to be joined in the bullpen by Elmer Dessens and Billingsley.

Starters Nomar Garciaparra, Jeff Kent, Rafael Furcal, Wilson Betemit, Russell Martin, J.D. Drew, Kenny Lofton and Marlon Anderson are expected to be joined by infielders Loney, Lugo and Olmedo Saenz, outfielders Andre Ethier and Jason Repko and catcher Toby Hall on the 25-man roster. Infielder Martinez appears to have the edge for the final spot, and outfielder Matt Kemp didn’t make the cut.

“It happens every fall; some contributors are left behind,” General Manager Ned Colletti said. “You never win with 25, but that’s what you carry in the postseason.”

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Lofton entered Sunday’s game as a pinch-runner in the eighth inning and notched stolen base No. 599. But in his try for 600, Lofton was thrown out at third base by catcher Todd Greene.

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Dodgers farm director and former Angels manager Terry Collins said he would decide by the end of the week whether to become manager of Orix Blue Wave of the Japanese Pacific League.

Collins, who interviewed to replace Dodgers manager Jim Tracy last off-season, previously managed the Houston Astros and Angels. He would like to manage again, he said, and is aware positions could open this winter with San Francisco, Washington, Florida, the Chicago Cubs and Texas.

“I’ve certainly thought about it,” he said. “I’ve had enough interest over the last couple years that I figure I might be part of the interview process.”

Beyond the Dodgers, Collins interviewed in recent seasons with Seattle, Kansas City and the New York Mets.

The Dodgers extended his contract for two more years this summer.

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Times staff writer Tim Brown contributed to this report.

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mike.digiovanna@latimes.com