BEIMEL MAKING HIS PITCH L.A. LEFT-HANDER IS PROVIDING MUCH-NEED RELIEF DODGERS 5, MILWAUKEE 4.

Byline: Tony Jackson Staff Writer

A bullpen teetering on the edge of disaster found its savior Saturday night.

Joe Beimel, a middling reliever who has parlayed his left-handedness into enough jobs here and there to pile up more than three years of major- league service, pitched out of a sixth-inning jam he inherited from Brad Penny, then turned in a nifty, one-two-three seventh before giving way to a pinch hitter.

Beimel's effort helped the Dodgers preserve a 3-3 tie with the Milwaukee Brewers through the bottom of the seventh inning.

In four appearances since having his contract purchased from Triple-A Las Vegas on Monday, Beimel still hasn't allowed a run. This after going 3-0 with a 1.38 ERA in 10appearances for the 51s, earning him a callup when club management finally gave up on the struggling Lance Carter after last Sunday's ninth-inning disaster at San Diego.

Penny, who hadn't walked more than three batters in any of his sixprevious starts this season, walked one per inning through the first six and seemed to constantly flirt with danger. After giving up a one-out single to Rickie Weeks in the sixth, and after Weeks stole second and then third on the ball-fourpitch to J.J. Hardy, manager Grady Little came to get Penny, who already had thrown 116 pitches.

Beimel then came on with runners on first and third and one out to face the left-hander Geoff Jenkins, who obliged with a tailor-made doubleplay grounder to second. Rafael Furcal's relay throw was to the outfield side of the bag , forcing Nomar Garciaparra to catch it while diving to the ground, but first-base umpire Ramon Armendariz ruled Jenkins out.

Brewers manager Ned Yost argued vehemently, but the call stood. Televised replays appeared to show Garciaparra's right foot still in contact with the bag while the ball was in his mitt.

Beimel returned in the seventh to face the heart of the Brewers order, including the righty Carlos Lee, lefty Prince Fielder and the right-hander Bill Hall. He retired the side with two ground balls and a fly to deep center.

Right-handed batters are now 1for 6 against the versatile Beimel, while lefties are 1 for 9. Not bad for a guy whom Little had planned to use in more of a traditional, situational role.

Beimel came to spring training as a non-roster invitee on a minor-league contract, one of several such players with major-league experience. A one-time mainstay with Pittsburgh, he split last season between Tampa Bay and its Triple-A Durham affiliate and probably pitched well enough at the big-league level (3.27 ERA in seven appearances) to command a better offer over the winter than what he got. Instead, he wound up with the Dodgers.

The Dodgers, meanwhile, continued to struggle in key situations, going 2 for 9 with runners in scoring position through the first seven innings. They failed to take advantage of six walks issued by Brewers pitchers. Penny wound up with his fourth no-decision in seven starts this season, but he was lucky to escape with the score tied. He gave up three earned runs on seven hits over 5 1/3 innings, including a season-high six walks.

The Brewers took a 1-0 lead in the first on a leadoff double by Rickie Weeks, a two-out walk to Carlos Lee and an RBI single by Prince Fielder.

The Dodgers answered in the bottom of the inning, taking advantage of a leadoff walk to Rafael Furcal, who stole second as Kenny Lofton was striking out, and a game-tying double by Nomar Garciaparra.

The Brewers retook the lead in the third after J.J. Hardy led off with a single and Penny walked Geoff Jenkins. Although Penny struck out Lee looking and got Fielder to fly harmlessly to center, Bill Hall and Gabe Gross came through with consecutive, two-out singles, each driving in a run to put Milwaukee in front 3-1.

Milwaukee's Ben Hendrickson walked J.D. Drew to begin the fourth. Two outs later, Jose Cruz singled to right, sending Drew to third, and Russell Martin walked, the fourth free pass issued by Hendrickson. But Penny, a good-hitting pitcher given a chance to play the offensive hero in his own game, struck out, leaving the bases loaded.

The Dodgers pulled even in the fifth. They got consecutive, one-out doubles by Lofton and Garciaparra to cut the deficit to 3-2 and, after a Hendrickson wild-pitched Garciaparra to third, a run-scoring grounder to second by Drew with the Brewers infield at normal depth.

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Nomar Garciaparra gets a double in the fifth inning as the Dodgers rally to tie the score Saturday

Gus Ruelas/Staff Photographer

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DODGERS vs. MILWAUKEE

- Tony Jackson