NEW YORK (AP) – Jeff Kent homered, doubled and singled, and the Los Angeles Dodgers held off the New York Mets 6-5 Friday night for their third consecutive victory.

Jayson Werth drove in two runs as the Dodgers built a 6-0 lead for Jeff Weaver, who helped himself with an RBI single and won for only the second time in eight starts.

By winning three games in a row for the first time since June 4-6, Los Angeles gave manager Jim Tracy his 400th career victory.

Carlos Beltran and Doug Mientkiewicz homered to bring the Mets within one, but the comeback bid fell short due to a strong effort by the Dodgers’ bullpen.

Duaner Sanchez retired Mike Cameron on a popup with runners at second and third, ending the seventh. Wilson Alvarez and Steve Schmoll combined for a scoreless eighth, and Yhency Brazoban worked a perfect ninth for his 18th save in 22 chances.

Brazoban, replacing injured closer Eric Gagne, broke the team’s rookie saves record set by Steve Howe in 1980.

Coming off a sweep of the first-place Padres, the Mets had their four-game winning streak snapped. New York starters entered with a 1.53 ERA in the last eight games, but Victor Zambrano (4-9) failed to extend that surge. He lasted only 4 2-3 innings in a rare dud.

Weaver (8-8) allowed five runs and six hits in six innings. He has lasted at least six innings in his last 11 starts, going 4-4.

Kent, robbed of extra bases by center fielder Beltran in the first, connected for his 17th homer on an 0-2 pitch with two outs in the third.

Jason Phillips, acquired from the Mets during spring training, singled to start the fourth and went to third on a throwing error by Gold Glove first baseman Mientkiewicz. Werth’s RBI single made it 2-0.

Werth stole second, then third without a throw, and scored when Weaver singled to center on an 0-2 pitch with two outs. It was Weaver’s fourth RBI this season.

Kent doubled in the fifth and scored on Phillips’ RBI groundout. Hee-Seop Choi’s two-out RBI double made it 5-0 and chased Zambrano, who was booed by the crowd of 50,273 as he walked off the mound.

Werth added a run-scoring single off Heath Bell.

Mientkiewicz began the comeback with a two-run shot in the fifth, his second homer in two games.

Jose Reyes and Cameron singled to open the sixth, and Beltran hit Weaver’s next pitch over the right-field fence to cut it to 6-5.

Zambrano was charged with six runs and 10 hits. It was only the second time in 18 starts this season that he allowed more than three earned runs.

Notes: Hall of Famer Juan Marichal threw out the ceremonial first pitch on Merengue Night. … Choi tried to score on Jason Repko’s second-inning grounder, but was thrown out by third baseman David Wright. … Reyes got his 32nd stolen base. … Marlon Anderson got his major league-leading 14th pinch-hit for the Mets.

AP-ES-07-22-05 2209EDT