LOS ANGELES (AP) – Eric Gagne’s streak of 84 consecutive saves ended against the same team he couldn’t hold off two years ago: the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Gagne major league-record streak ended Monday night when he blew a two-run lead for the Los Angeles Dodgers, who came back to beat Arizona 6-5 in 10 innings.
Gagne relieved with a 5-3 lead at the start of the ninth but allowed pinch-hitter Luis Gonzalez’s RBI double and Chad Tracy’s run-scoring single on an 0-2 pitch that went past the glove of a diving first baseman Olmedo Saenz. Both hits came off changeups.
“I never really thought about the streak at all,” Gagne said. “I’m not really relieved about it, but it was so much fun to be a part of it.”
Realizing that Gagne’s streak was over, the crowd of 32,929 at Dodger Stadium gave Gagne a standing ovation as he stood on the mound with his head down.
“The fans are so proud of what I’ve been doing,” he said. “They come out every single game and they’re really into it, so I just tried to give back to them because they’ve been really good to me. The fans are the reason why I’ve been able to go four or five days in a row. They get me up.”
Gagne retired the next two batters and got another standing ovation on his way to the dugout, before taking a curtain call to wilder cheers.
“I’ve got a job to do tomorrow. You can’t worry about today,” Gagne said. “You’ve got to start all over every day.”
Dave Roberts singled in the 10th off Greg Aquino (0-1), making his second big league appearance. Cesar Izturis sacrificed, Milton Bradley was intentionally walked, and Adrian Beltre walked, loading the bases.
Randy Choate relieved and gave up Shawn Green’s sacrifice fly.
Gagne had not blown a save chance since David Dellucci hit a tying double on Aug. 26, 2002.
During the streak, Gagne blew the lead in the 2003 All-Star game when he allowed a home run to the Texas Rangers’ Hank Blalock, but that exhibition game didn’t count in the statistics.
Gagne’s record was 30 more than the previous mark of 54, set by Tom Gordon for Boston from April 19, 1998 to June 5, 1999.
The Montreal native set the mark Sept. 2 against Houston, part of his perfect 55-save season last year. He has 21 this season.
Arizona’s Steve Finley hit his 20th homer, a three-run shot in the third inning. Olmedo Saenz hit a three-run homer for the Dodgers, and Milton Bradley hit a two-run drive.
Wilson Alvarez of the Dodgers allowed three runs and five hits over six innings in his first start since May 23. Alvarez was back in the rotation because of Hideo Nomo’s rotator cuff injury.
Arizona’s Brandon Webb gave up three runs, three hits and three walks in 5 2-3 innings with seven strikeouts. He is 0-3 in six starts since June 3.
Bradley’s third-inning homer, the first off Webb in 41 innings since Webb connected on May 29, pulled the Dodgers to 3-2, and Los Angeles went ahead in the sixth when Saenz greeted reliever Scott Service with his second pinch-homer this season.
Notes: Arizona RF Danny Bautista left in the seventh because of stiffness in his lower back. … Los Angeles manager Jim Tracy said he expects Nomo to be sidelined at least through the end of July. … RF Juan Encarnacion sat out his second straight game because of a sore left shoulder, and C Paul Lo Duca was scratched due to soreness in his hip.
AP-ES-07-05-04 2350EDT
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