[0] GAGNE EFFECTIVE, BUT GETS NO RELIEF ARIZONA 3, DODGERS 2.

Byline: Steve Dilbeck Staff Writer

And things were looking so good.

The Dodgers had all but thrown Eric Gagne to the wolves, starting him against Randy Johnson, and then - surprise, surprise - watched the young right-hander leave with a one-run lead.

Only when Dodgers manager Jim Tracy decided it was the perfect time for the major-league debut of left-hander Jose Nunez, it quickly came undone.

The 22-year-old Nunez, who has never pitched above Single-A, gave up a double to Mark Grace and a two-run homer to Luis Gonzalez, and the Dodgers fell 3-2 to the Diamondbacks on a cool Tuesday night before a thin Dodger Stadium crowd of 22,927.

Things hardly got off to the best of starts for Gagne when the game's opening batter, Tony Womack, beat out an infield single. Grace grounded out to second to move Womack to second and Matt Williams singled him home. It was 1-0 Arizona with Johnson on the mound. On a lot of nights, that's end of story.

Certainly, the Dodgers did little to inspire hopes they would rally against the intimidating 6-10 Johnson. Mostly they went down meekly, looking overmatched as ever.

Meanwhile, Gagne tiptoed out of trouble in each of his next four innings. The Diamondbacks kept threatening and kept being pushed away. Gagne stranded eight runners in his five innings.

Then in the fourth, the unexpected happened. Johnson gave up consecutive one-out walks to Shawn Green and Jeff Reboulet. Catcher Paul LoDuca fell behind 1-2 to Johnson and then lined a two-run double into the left-center gap.

Gagne left after his five innings with a 2-1 lead. He gave up seven hits and two walks, while striking out six. Maybe not an overly impressive performance but an encouraging one for the right-hander who beat out veteran Ramon Martinez for the fifth spot in the rotation.

But the lead couldn't hold up and Johnson could. Gregg Olson gave the Dodgers one scoreless inning of relief, but then called on Nunez - their only left-hander - to face Arizona left-handed hitters Grace and Gonzalez.

By the book, a correct move. By the results, a disaster. A quick one, too.

Grace doubled and Gonzalez homered into the right-field pavilion, and there went the Dodgers' lead over Johnson.

After giving up the lead to LoDuca, the sour-faced Johnson only seemed to bear down more. He struck out four of the next six Dodgers.

Johnson allowed four hits in his seven innings, with four walks and another 10 strikeouts. It was the 149th time in his career he had struck out 10 or more, second only to Nolan Ryan's record 215.

DODGERS vs. ARIZONA

Time: 7:10 p.m, at Dodger Stadium

TV/Radio: Fox Sports Net 2; 1150-AM, 1330-AM (Spanish)

Matchup: Right-hander Darren Dreifort will make his first start since signing his five-year, $55-million contract in the offseason. Dreifort is trying to pick up where he left off last season, when he went 8-2 with a 3.14 ERA after the All-Star break. He kept it up during the spring, going 5-0 with a 2.67 ERA in five starts. He is 2-3 with a 2.38 ERA in seven career appearances vs. Arizona. Right-hander Curt Schilling, who ended last season on a five-game losing streak, starts for the Diamondbacks.

-Steve Dilbeck

CAPTION(S):

2 photos, box

Photo:

(1 -- color) Dodgers pitcher Eric Gagne was thrown to the Diamondbacks but did find. His replacement, inexperienced Jose Nunez didn't fare so well.

(2) Arizona Diamondbacks ace Randy Johnson was his usual nasty self, holding Dodgers batters well in check. He allowed four hits in seven innings.

Michael Caulfield/Associated Press

Box: DODGERS vs. ARIZONA (see text)