Kenley Jansen has emerged as dominant Dodgers setup man

The most dominant pitcher in the Dodgers’ bullpen commands more languages than he does pitches.

But if the one pitch Kenley Jansen throws regularly is a cut fastball in the mid-90s that breaks from one side of the plate to the other, does it matter?

Jansen, the pentalingual setup man from the Caribbean island of Curacao, has struck out 23 of the last 33 batters he has faced. Of the 19 runners he has inherited this season, only one has scored.

Jansen didn’t emerge from the bullpen on Wednesday night, as the Dodgers fell to the San Francisco Giants, 8-5, at Dodger Stadium.

“The key is just being aggressive and staying in attack mode,” Jansen said in English instead of Dutch, Spanish, French or Papiamento.

Jansen was a light-hitting catcher in the Dodgers’ system until midway through the 2009 season, when he was converted to a pitcher. About a year later, he was in the major leagues and posted a 0.67 earned-run average in 25 appearances.

But he encountered obstacles when attempting to duplicate the success he had a rookie.

Part of the problem was physical, as he experienced shoulder pain. And part of it, he said, was mental.

“I was thinking too much,” he said.

Three weeks on the disabled list helped him realize that.

Jansen has been nearly unhittable since he returned on June 18, as he has held opposing hitters to a 0.98 average and striking out 52 batters in 281/3 innings over his last 26 appearances. On the season, he is averaging 15.87 strikeouts per nine innings, the best in the majors.

He said his newly minted slider is one of the main reasons for his improved form. But when he had to protect a one-run lead with one out and two out in the eighth inning on Tuesday night, all seven pitches he threw were cut fastballs. He struck out both batters he faced.

“I don’t know if he knows what’s he’s doing with it,” Manager Don Mattingly said.

Not completely.

But he has an idea.

“When I throw to the [catcher’s] glove side,” Jansen said, “I know it’s going to move to the right knee.”

Dodgers fall to Giants

Matt Kemp became the 19th player in major league history to hit 35 home runs and steal 35 bases in a single season, but his three-run home run in the fifth inning wasn’t enough to overcome a disastrous start by Dana Eveland.

A September call-up who spent most of the season with triple-A Albuquerque, Eveland was charged with three runs in the first inning and two more in the fourth.

The journeyman left-hander was charged with five runs and six hits in only four innings. He walked three.

The Dodgers closed the gap to 5-4 in the fifth inning, when Jamey Carroll singled in Eugenio Velez and Kemp launched his 35th home run.

Kemp’s towering blast not only resulted in the crowd chanting “M-V-P!” but also raised his season runs-batted-in total to 116. Only five Dodgers have driven in more runs in a single season since the club moved to Los Angeles in 1958.

Lincecum backs Kershaw

Outpitched by Clayton Kershaw for the fourth time this season in the series opener on Tuesday, Tim Lincecum reiterated his belief that the Dodger left-hander should win the Cy Young Award.

“To put up a 20-win season is huge, especially with the team he’s got,” Lincecum said.

Lincecum had a 1.24 earned-run average in his four matchups with Kershaw, who was 4-0 in those games.

“I did my job the best I could,” Lincecum said.

No response to bid

Bill Burke’s $1.2-billion offer to buy the Dodgers expired Tuesday without a response from team owner Frank McCourt. Burke said Wednesday that his group had offered an extension.

“I don’t have any expectations at this point,” said Burke, chairman of the South Coast Air Quality Management District and founder of the Los Angeles Marathon. “We’re just waiting to see how everything plays out.”

Burke’s group made its pitch in an Aug. 30 letter, which said the offer was financed in part by “state-owned investment institutions of the People’s Republic of China.” The offer was good for 21 days.

McCourt has said he has no intention of selling the team. His spokesman, Steve Sugerman, did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday.

dylan.hernandez@latimes.com

twitter.com/dylanohernandez