`TIRED' DODGERS FIZZLE VINTAGE FERNANDEZ ENDS L.A.'S WINNING STREAK AT SIX.

Byline: Brian Dohn Staff Writer

Two weeks of being on the road, followed by a cross-country flight and a 14-inning game, apparently caught up with the Dodgers.

And so did Cincinnati right-hander Osvaldo Fernandez.

With Gary Sheffield on the bench with a sprained right ankle, the potent Dodgers lineup mustered three hits as the Reds beat the Dodgers 3-1 Tuesday at Dodger Stadium.

Fernandez's first win since pitching for San Francisco three years ago ended the Dodgers' winning streak at six, their longest since the 1997 season.

``We looked a little tired,'' Dodgers manager Davey Johnson said. ``We had a long day (Monday) and looked a little flat. We didn't hit any balls hard.''

Rookie right-hander Eric Gagne (0-3) continued his solid pitching but without results. He allowed three runs, including solo homers to Barry Larkin and Ken Griffey Jr., in six innings, but is still searching for his first win.

The Dodgers also aren't scoring a bundle of runs in Gagne's starts. He hasn't allowed more than four runs in any of his outings, but the Dodgers are 1-5 in his starts.

It didn't help on this night that Fernandez, who missed the last two seasons because of a pair of elbow surgeries, looked more like the renowned pitcher he was years ago pitching for the Cuban national team.

``He never really threw me the same pitch twice,'' said Dodgers catcher Todd Hundley, who struck out four times, three of which were against Fernandez. ``He struck me out with three different pitches. He had great command of his fastball, great command of his offspeed stuff. He wouldn't give in.''

The only threat the Dodgers had against Fernandez came when Todd Hollandsworth led off the first with a single, Mark Grudzielanek was hit by a pitch and Shawn Green walked. Eric Karros gave the Dodgers their only run with a sacrifice fly.

Ten of the next 15 outs Fernandez (1-0) recorded came via ground ball. The Dodgers' only other hits were Green's two-out double in the third and Karros' two-out single in the sixth.

The Dodgers had a chance off reliever Scott Williamson in the eighth, but Grudzielanek grounded into a double play with two on and none out, and after Green walked, Karros struck out. Danny Graves struck out the side in the ninth for his eighth save.

``I got a slider on the first pitch of the game, so that tells you something,'' Hollandsworth said. ``This team's been fighting all year. You can probably count on one hand games we didn't have a chance to win. In the eighth, we had a chance, but things didn't work out.''

The Reds took a 2-1 lead in the third when Benito Santiago led off with a double and eventually scored on Pokey Reese's RBI groundout. Larkin, who left the game in the seventh with a sore left hand, gave the Reds the lead two pitches later when the Reds shortstop hit his third homer of the season.

Griffey Jr., stifled by the Dodgers this season, hit Gagne's first pitch of the sixth inning over the fence in left field. Griffey Jr.'s 14th homer was the 10th allowed by Gagne this season in 35 1/3 innings. Only Carlos Perez, who's yielded 12 homers in 47 innings, has given up more.

``(Being tired) is not what it was,'' Dodgers shortstop Jose Vizcaino said. ``(Fernandez) pitched a great game. He's been out for two years, but he knows how to pitch. He's experienced. He's pitched like that in San Francisco.''

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Photo: (color) Dodgers second baseman Mark Grudzielanek tags out the Reds' Dante Bichette as he tries to steal second.

Michael Owen Baker/Staff Photographer