A GIANT STEP FORWARD L.A. FINALLY COMES THROUGH IN CLUTCH DODGERS 3, SAN FRAN. 1.

Byline: TONY JACKSON  Staff Writer

They have a new general manager, a new manager, a revamped roster, a redecorated ballpark and what was supposed to be a more productive lineup. But in one rather maddening, frustrating, handwringing way, these Dodgers bear a striking re semblance to their recent, less-than-memorable forebears.

They still can't seem to buy a hit with a runner in scoring position. So on Saturday night, the Dodgers resorted to improvisation, mixed it with just enough luck and a command performance from left-hander Odalis Perez and rode the whole thing to a 3-1 victory over the San Francisco Giants in front of 55,132 at Dodger Stadium.

In the bottom of the fourth, a point when the Dodgers had gone hitless in 14 consecutive at-bats with runners on second, third or both dating to the final innings of Thursday's win in Pittsburgh, second baseman Jeff Kent set the table for another series of failures in the clutch by driving a double up the gap in right-center field to start the inning.

After veteran Giants righty Jason Schmidt walked Jose Cruz, Bill Mueller took a called third strike, the first sign that another prime scoring opportunity was about to slip away.

That's when manager Grady Little, tired of watching his club not execute in key situations, decided to force the issue.

With rookie first baseman James Loney at the plate, Kent and Cruz executed a perfect double steal. Kent, who will never be mistaken for a world-class sprinter, slid into third base inches ahead of the throw from Gold Glove catcher Mike Matheny and the tag by third baseman Pedro Feliz, putting Dodgers second and third with one out.

Loney eventually walked, bringing a perfect doubleplay candidate to the plate in slow-footed catcher Dioner Navarro. Schmidt then coaxed Navarro into hitting a perfect doubleplay grounder to first baseman Lance Niekro. But Niekro bobble d it just long enough to turn the double play into a single play, ruining any chance of getting Loney at second.

That allowed Kent to cross the plate with the eventual winning run -- on the Dodgers' 16th consecutive hitless at-bat with a runner in scoring position.

Perez then ran the streak to 17 by grounding to second to end the rally, and it would reach 18 an inning later.

But now that he was armed with that 2-1 lead, the sinkerballing Perez settled in and delivered his finest performance of the young season, holding the Giants to a run on three hits over seven solid innings.

Barry Bonds went 1 for 3 with a ninth-inning double and was walked intentionally with a runner on second and two outs in the third, a strategy that worked to perfection when Ray Durham flied to right.

The Dodgers (6-6) knocked the Giants out of the National League West lead, moved into third place themselves and trail new division leader Colorado by 1 1/2 games.

Perez (2-0) was in trouble only once, when Durham and Steve Finley sandwiched consecutive singles to begin the second inning around a wild pitch by Perez, giving the Giants a 1-0 lead. But after Finley stole second, Perez pitched out of the jam, getting Feliz to ground to short and Matheny and Schmidt to fly out.

Perez slashed his ERA from a gaudy 8.64 to a semi-respectable 5.28.

Schmidt (0-2) held the Dodgers to three hits over six innings, but walked seven batters and now has issued 14 free passes in 20 innings this season. Although the Dodgers didn't muster much offense against him, the walks hurt Schmidt -- especially the one with two outs in the third inning to Rafael Furcal, a player who was hitting .227 at the time.

Kenny Lofton followed with a ringing triple to the wall in right-center, his first hit in a Dodgers uniform, to tie the game at 1-1.

Hours after Little said he was emerging as the leading candidate to fill the still-vacant setup job, Takashi Saito entered to start the eighth in relief of Perez.

Although he gave up a one-out double to Randy Winn, Saito escaped the jam with a pair of groundball outs.

In the eighth, the Dodgers finally broke their streak of futility with runners in scoring position, but only after it reached 19 consecutive at- bats.

With two outs, Navarro yanked a bases-loaded single past Durham. Mueller was out tryin g to score from second, but the Dodgers had a critical insurance run.

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CAPTION(S):

3 photos, 2 boxes

Photo:

(1 -- color) Dodgers starter Odalis Perez held the San Francisco Giants to one run on three hits over seven solid innings in Los Angeles' win Saturday.

(2 -- color) Jeff Kent swings and misses during the second inning against Giants starter Jason Schmidt

(3) The Dodgers' Jeff Kent exchanges words with home-plate umpire Chris Guccione in the second inning.

Gus Ruelas/Staff Photographer

Box:

(1) DODGERS vs. SAN FRANCISCO

- Tony Jackson

(2) DODGERS' RUNS BY INNING (SEASON)