DODGERS COME BACK FROM DEPTHS OF DESPAIR TWO STUNNING LATE RALLIES KEEP PLAYOFF HOPES ALIVE DODGERS 6, ARIZONA 5.

There were no thinly veiled attempts early in the day to downplay the significance of what was to take place, and no effort made later to curb enthusiasm or downplay the meaning of what actually occurred.

As a season's worth of work lay on the edge of despair, a Dodgers team that spent a summer talking about its resiliency earned itself a new moniker.

The Dodgers now are simply remarkable, seemingly capable of achieving the unthinkable.

Knowing a loss virtually would end playoff hopes, the Dodgers rallied from two-run deficits twice in what could have been their last meaningful at-bats of the season to stun the Arizona Diamondbacks 6-5 in 11 innings Saturday afternoon at Dodger Stadium.

Adrian Beltre's two-run single, which found its way past the glove of diving Arizona shortstop Tony Womack, scored Gary Sheffield and Paul Lo Duca with none out to cap a three-run rally in the 11th inning and spark a mad celebration.

As Lo Duca crossed home plate ahead of center fielder Steve Finley's off-target throw, he was hugged by Sheffield and mobbed by some teammates. The rest of the Dodgers piled on Beltre near second base.

But Beltre's single off reliever Mike Morgan was only possible because of Lo Duca. Facing Randy Johnson, arguably the league's best pitcher, with the Diamondbacks leading 3-1 in the bottom of the ninth, Lo Duca homered to tie it.

``Let's face it, we lose this game here (and) we're done,'' Lo Duca said. ``Our season is probably over if we lose this game. To come up like this is unbelievable.''

Nearly to a man, the Dodgers stated before the series began they needed to win at least three of four to remain in contention for the National League West.

That remains possible as the Dodgers are within three games of first-place Arizona heading into the series finale today that pits Arizona's 20-game winner Curt Schilling against Terry Adams. The Dodgers are five games behind St. Louis in the wild-card race.

``I think the key was the way (Lo Duca) hit the home run in the ninth inning,'' Beltre said. ``After that, we knew we could hit anybody. It was a big game for us coming back twice. We still have a chance. Schilling is not God.''

That Beltre was even in position to provide the game-winning hit seemed unfathomable two innings prior. The Dodgers were 1-54 when trailing after eight innings, and they entered the ninth trailing by two runs.

But instead of closing out his 20th victory, Johnson walked Sheffield. Lo Duca, who is 7 for 18 against Johnson, hit a 2-1 fastball a few rows up into the left-field bleachers for his 22nd homer, tying it 3-3.

``It's crazy, man,'' Sheffield said. ``We've done that before, but to do it in a big situation like this, a must-win situation, this is probably the game that we had to have more than any other game in the year.''

Struggling reliever Mike Trombley pushed the Dodgers' season perilously closer to meaninglessness again when he allowed a leadoff homer to Danny Bautista in the 11th. The Diamondbacks made it 5-3 on Craig Counsell's RBI groundout.

``We were very happy. We were very dejected. We were very happy. We were very dejected,'' Arizona's Mark Grace said. ``The same goes for them. That's why we love it. That's why we hate it.''

The Dodgers wound up lovin' it in the 11th with their second improbable rally. Shawn Green led off with a single against Brian Anderson. Mike Koplove relieved and walked Sheffield and hit Lo Duca with a pitch. Eric Karros worked a full-count walk to force in the first run before Morgan, a 20-year major-league veteran, relieved and allowed Beltre's single to squeeze through the middle.

``They're amazing,'' Dodgers manager Jim Tracy said. ``I had to regroup in here (Tracy's office) for a couple of minutes. They just refuse to let go. They just won't die. To come back twice the way we did ... this one is by far our finest hour as far as baseball games go.''

CAPTION(S):

2 photos, box

Photo:

(1 -- color) Paul Lo Duca raises his fist after his ninth-inning home run tied the game.

(2) Paul Lo Duca, far right, is mobbed by his teammates after scoring the winning run.

Joe Binoya/Special to the Daily News

Box: STANDINGS