BRADLEY'S GLOVEWORK IN CENTER SAVES PEREZ DODGER'S TWO SPECTACULAR CATCHES HELP HOLD OFF METS DODGERS 3, NEW YORK 2.

Byline: Tony Jackson  Staff Writer

Odalis Perez wasn't at his best for the Dodgers on Wednesday night. But it really didn't matter, because Milton Bradley was.

Bradley robbed the New York Mets of at least one run and possibly more, making two spectacular catches in center field during the middle innings. Both plays got Perez out of danger on an evening when he constantly flirted with it, and both plays ultimately loomed colossal in a 3-2 Los Angeles victory in front of 29,319 at Dodger Stadium.

The Dodgers got a scare in the eighth inning when reigning National League Cy Young winner Eric Gagne, trying to extend his major-league record for consecutive save opportunities converted to 69, was hit on the right ankle by a Jason Phillips line drive. Gagne recovered in time to chase down the carom and throw Phillips out at first, ending the inning, but left the field with a noticeable limp.

Gagne returned in the ninth and did finish off the Mets, posting his sixth save of 2004.

The first came in the top of the fourth, after Perez already had gotten one lucky break. He began the inning with six consecutive balls, but when he finally threw his seventh pitch for a strike, Jason Phillips hit it to shortstop for an easy double play. Karim Garcia then hit a looping liner into the gap in left-center, and Bradley, running full speed to his right, made a diving, rolling catch to end the inning.

Because left fielder Dave Roberts was backing up the play, Garcia probably would have had only a single. But at a time when the Dodgers led just 2-1 and Perez looked disturbingly vulnerable, Bradley's catch kept the potential tying run off base.

Two innings later, Bradley came up with an encore.

With the Dodgers now leading 3-1, Michael Cameron led off the sixth with an apparent home just to the left of straightaway center. Bradley, who wasn't playing especially deep, turned and ran hard, directly toward the image of 1974 Cy Young award winner Mike Marshall's face painted on the outfield wall. At the last instant, Bradley leaped, stretching his gloved left hand above the top of the wall to rob Cameron of what clearly would have been a home run.

The ballpark erupted even before Bradley landed and raised the ball in his right hand to show second base umpire Mike Winters that he had caught it. The catch would loom even larger when he gave up hits to each of the next three hitters and then a sacrifice fly by Phillips, slicing the Dodgers lead to 3-2.

Perez then minimized the damage, and ended his night, by getting Garcia on a called third strike. Perez (2-1) actually left with an impressive line, allowing two runs on seven hits with four strikeouts and only two walks. He also got through six innings on a fairly-economical 90 pitches, but it was clear from the start that he didn't have dominating stuff.

Kazuo Matsui led off the game by taking Perez deep into the pavilion in left, the Mets' fourth home run in the first 10 innings of this three-game series. Perez went to deep counts to several hitters over the next few innings, but always seemed to get a strikeout, a double play grounder or an electrifying, game-saving catch by Bradley when he needed it most.

Dave Roberts and Adrian Beltre pitched in, too.

After Alex Cora's leadoff single in the third, and after Perez's poor bunt resulted in a force at second, Roberts worked Trachsel for what arguably was the best at-bat by a Dodgers hitter this season. Roberts saw 11 pitches, fouling off three of them after running the count full, then hit the last one just over the wall in center field, putting the Dodgers in front.

Beltre made it 3-1 with his seventh home run of the season, a no-doubt shot into the second row in left to lead off the fifth, also off Trachsel (2-3).

Although it is far too early in the season to call any game critical, the Dodgers (12-7) had seen their lead in the National League West sliced to a single game on Tuesday by hard-charging San Diego.

Tony Jackson,[phone]

tony.jackson(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

2 photos, box

Photo:

(1 -- color) The Dodgers' Adrian Beltre, right, celebrates with Alex Cora after hitting a home run in the fifth inning.

(2) Although starter Odalis Perez flirted with danger throughout the evening, the Dodgers managed to pull out a 3-2 victory.

Nam Y. Huh/Associated Press

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GAME RECAP