Dodgers relieved to win this one

The Dodgers’ clubhouse was growing vacant Friday night, but those who remained had their eyes focused on a TV screen, watching Washington Nationals pinch-hitter Ronnie Belliard dig into the batter’s box against the San Diego Padres. When Belliard delivered a game-winning hit two pitches later, Jeff Kent let out a cheer. Other players clapped or exchanged high-fives.

In the middle of the room, closer Takashi Saito smiled. Thirty minutes earlier he had been on the mound, retiring the final five Pirates in order to preserve a 5-4 Dodgers victory and earn his 16th save of the season. Now he was watching on TV to see if that would be enough to lift the Dodgers back into sole possession of first place in the National League West -- which it was, if only by percentage points ahead of Arizona, with the Padres dropping a game back.

The season may be only one-third complete, but already the battle lines are being drawn.

“Every save is going to be important, whether it happens in the month of June or whether it happens in the month of September,” Saito said through interpreter Scott Akasaki. “Just like last year. I don’t know if I necessarily feel more pressure. But I know every game we’re going to be in, whether it’s now or whether it’s later in the year, is going to be important.”

Which probably means every inning the bullpen pitches is going to be important too. And how they weather that storm will go a long way toward determining if the Dodgers will be watching the playoffs on TV too.

Three Dodgers relievers -- Saito, Chad Billingsley and Jonathan Broxton -- began the season with less than 91 innings of big league experience. And Eric Hull, who was called up Friday, has yet to make his major league debut. Yet the bullpen’s 3.31 earned-run average is third-best in the NL and its 159 strikeouts are the most in baseball.

“I think we have one of the best bullpens in baseball,” Dodger Manager Grady Little said.

It certainly looked that way Friday, when Billingsley replaced Randy Wolf (7-3) in the sixth inning with the Dodgers leading, 5-4, courtesy of Russell Martin’s fifth-inning homer to center, his third in as many games. And the right-hander responded by striking out five batters in 2 1/3 scoreless innings to keep the Pirates at bay.

Before this season Billingsley, 22, had pitched only 3 2/3 professional innings in relief -- as opposed to 401 1/3 as a starter. But Little asked him to try the bullpen late in spring training and he has seized the opportunity, going 3-0 and striking out nearly two batters an inning in 19 appearances.

“I’m feeling pretty comfortable and I’m finally getting used to being able to know what kind of situations I’ll be getting into,” he said. “It’s been a pretty good transition.”

And Friday he provided the transition from starter to closer. Billingsley was replaced with one out in the eighth by Joe Beimel, who gave up a double to the only batter he faced, Adam LaRoche. Then Saito took over and struck out three of the five batters he faced to earn his 26th consecutive save and his 40th in 42 opportunities. That gives him the best percentage through 42 chances since the save became an official statistic in 1969.

“I really had no idea that such a record was around,” said Saito, who improved on a mark he had shared with former Dodgers closer Eric Gagne. “For me to pass it, I’m happy that I did, but certainly it’s not something that I tried to go out and do. I just try to go out there and get outs.”

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kevin.baxter@latimes.com