Tomko gets to pitch in on a sweep

The Dodgers completed a three-game sweep of the San Francisco Giants to remain in first place in the National League West with a 5-3 victory Sunday at AT&T; Park, but the game had far greater implications for the battered psyche of Brett Tomko.

Replacing sidelined Randy Wolf and starting his first game in nearly two months, Tomko lasted five innings and gave up three runs, of which only one was earned. In the process, he picked up his second win and lowered his earned-run average to 5.88.

Although his performance wasn’t a masterpiece, it was significant for the man who had lost his role as the team’s fifth starter and had been tagged for eight runs in his last 5 2/3 innings out of the bullpen. Tomko’s reward will be a start Friday at Dodger Stadium, where he has been the target of boos.

Manager Grady Little’s plan to get Tomko out of his funk by continuing to hand him the ball finally seemed to work.

“We were just hoping he would get out there, give us a solid outing, get his confidence headed back in the right direction,” Little said. “I think he certainly did that.”

Tomko agreed.

“It’s a good starting point,” Tomko said. “It was definitely nicer to have success and get some people out than go through what I’ve been going through.”

Tomko said he thought he was helped by the game’s 1:05 p.m. start because “it was going before I had too much time to think about it.”

An error by second baseman Jeff Kent contributed to Tomko’s giving up two unearned runs in the first inning, but the Dodgers scored two runs in the fourth and two more in the sixth to go ahead, 5-3.

The Dodgers collected 13 hits -- 10 against starter Noah Lowry -- with Matt Kemp and Russell Martin each going three for four. Kemp tripled, scored two runs and drove in another.

Closer Takashi Saito also found a measure of redemption, as he recovered from blowing his second consecutive save the previous day.

Saito retired the side in the ninth inning to notch his 24th save, forcing Barry Bonds to pop up to shortstop to end the game.

“Relievers always get chances to make up for their mistakes,” Saito said. “I was hoping that chance would come soon and it did.”

For Saito to get that chance, the Dodgers had to escape jams in the seventh and eighth innings.

Eric Stults got Ray Durham to fly out to right field and Joe Beimel struck out Bonds in the seventh to prevent the Giants from scoring with two runners on and one out.

Jonathan Broxton threw a slider to strike out Dave Roberts with the bases loaded in the eighth inning. Roberts had singled in three of his previous four at-bats, but Broxton didn’t back down.

“My stuff against his stuff,” Broxton said.

For Saito, Martin and Brad Penny, the conclusion of the series ended a nearly weeklong stay in San Francisco, as the city staged the All-Star game Tuesday.

Saito said he would leave the Bay Area with cherished memories from the All-Star festivities, among them receiving a bat from Bonds and talking to San Diego Padres closer Trevor Hoffman.

Martin said the week was a realization of a childhood dream.

But Saito and Martin were also relieved they were headed back to Dodger Stadium. They’ll be there for the next seven games, starting today with the first of three games against the Philadelphia Phillies.

dylan.hernandez@latimes.com

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Under wraps

Barry Bonds was 0 for 12 in the three-game series against the Dodgers and has not hit a home run in his last 23 at-bats.

Friday: Dodgers 9, Giants 1

Bonds: 0 for 2, 2 walks, 0 runs, 0 RBIs and grounded into two double plays.

Saturday: Dodgers 8, Giants 7 (12)

Bonds: 0 for 5, walk, run, 0 RBIs.

Stranded four runners in scoring position and struck out twice. He led off the ninth with a walk, advanced to second on a groundout and scored on a single by Pedro Feliz to send the game into extra innings.

Sunday: Dodgers 5, Giants 3

Bonds: 0 for 5, 0 runs, 0 RBIs

Left six runners on base and popped out to the shortstop to end the game.

First game of a three-game series