Saito is suddenly less super as a saver

Takashi Saito came out of the All-Star break the way he went into it: by blowing a save.

By failing to protect a one-run lead in the ninth, Saito made the Dodgers play three extra innings to beat the San Francisco Giants, 8-7, Saturday at AT&T; Park. Saito hadn’t previously blown consecutive save opportunities in his two major league seasons.

“I threw pitches that should be hit, and I was hit,” Saito said.

Manager Grady Little said there was no reason to be concerned about Saito, who has converted 47 of 52 save opportunities with the Dodgers. Saito, who pitched a scoreless inning Tuesday in the All-Star game, has 23 saves in 26 chances this season.

“It’s something that happens to closers every once in a while,” Little said. “If he gets another opportunity [today], he’ll be right back out there.”

Saito said he made a mistake falling behind 3-0 to Barry Bonds at the start of the inning, saying it was impossible to challenge him at that count.

Bonds walked, advanced to second on a hit-and-run groundout -- “the difference in that inning,” Little said -- and scored on a two-out single by Pedro Feliz.

Asked whether he was punished for throwing one bad pitch to Feliz, Saito said, “Even if it was one bad pitch, my job is to close games.”

Saito said that what bothered him the most about his outing was that Derek Lowe couldn’t pick up a win. Lowe gave up two runs (one earned) in six innings.

But Saito said he would put the game behind him.

“I can’t carry these two games with me and let them affect my performances in the future,” he said.

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Wilson Betemit says that playing a reduced role as a result of Nomar Garciaparra’s move to third base makes it difficult to maintain any rhythm.

But Betemit, who started the season as the Dodgers’ primary third baseman, isn’t complaining.

Getting a rare opportunity to start, Betemit was four for six with a home run Saturday. His fifth-inning shot to left-center was his 10th home run of the season and second in his last two starts, the last coming on July 3, when he was three for four with two runs.

Of his decreased playing time, Betemit said, “I know that Garciaparra and [James] Loney have to play. All I can do is try to do my job when I get a chance.”

Garciaparra was moved from first to third in part to give Loney more playing time.

“It’s difficult coming to the field every day and not [playing],” Betemit said. “But what I have to do is double my preparation.”

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Randy Wolf threw for the first time since being put on the disabled list, playing catch before Saturday’s game.

Wolf, who said his shoulder is pain-free, made 40 throws of about 40 feet with his feet planted. He said he expected to throw again today.

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Olmedo Saenz’s single Friday was his 44th pinch hit as a Dodger, which moved him past Duke Snider and Mitch Webster into fourth place in franchise history. Saenz is eight behind third-place Chris Gwynn.... Barry Bonds grounded into two double plays Friday night. The last time he did that was on July 4, 1991, against the Chicago Cubs.

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dylan.hernandez@latimes.com