DODGERS ENJOY ANOTHER EPIC DAY RALLY TRIMS DEFICIT TO 4 1/2 GAMES DODGERS 4, SAN DIEGO 3.

Byline: Tony Jackson Staff Writer

SAN DIEGO - The last time the Dodgers played an afternoon game at Petco Park, they came away with an extra-innings win that became the defining moment on their march to last season's division title, a game club officials now say gave them a comfortable-enough cushion over the hard-charging San Diego Padres that they were able to ride it to the finish line some two months later.

It's hard to imagine anyone saying that about Thursday's matinee marathon, a 4-3, 10-inning victory over the Padres in front of a sellout crowd of 41,686. But for the Dodgers, at least from a psychological standpoint, this win might have been every bit as significant as that epic triumph of Aug. 1, 2004.

For one thing, this one had everything the slumping Dodgers have been missing lately, including clutch hitting with runners in scoring position in a three-run eighth inning that tied the score and timely execution of small-ball fundamentals in a decisive top of the 10th.

For another, it provided an enormous psychological cleansing, with the Dodgers salvaging a split of a four- game series that began with them scoring one run while dropping the first two games and extending their season-long losing streak to eight.

They left town right where they had been when they arrived Sunday night, 4 1/2 games behind the division-leading Padres in the National League West.

Somehow, it felt like the young, beaten-up Dodgers had taken a giant step forward.

``I feel good about where we are because, unexpectedly, our division has been weak,'' Dodgers second baseman Jeff Kent said. ``We have played so badly, but here we are (4 1/2) games out, and we're not even at full strength or even close to it. We have done damage to ourselves, but there is still a lot of time left to get guys out of the training room and get them on the field and playing baseball the way the Dodgers can play baseball.''

With seven key players on the disabled list and No. 3 hitter J.D. Drew unavailable at least for the day with chondromalacia in his left knee, the Dodgers and their patchwork lineup appeared doomed yet again against Padres right-hander Brian Lawrence, whose first seven innings defied his 4-6 record and 4.57 ERA.

But with the Dodgers trailing 3-0, manager Jim Tracy sent light-hitting infielder Oscar Robles to hit in the pitcher's spot to begin the eighth. Robles responded with a double up the gap in right-center. Lawrence then walked Jason Grabowski and left the game.

Four batters later, with the bases loaded, two outs and the Dodgers hitless in seven previous at-bats with runners in scoring position, Kent turned on a pitch from reliever Akinori Otsuka and yanked it into left field, just beyond the reach of diving shortstop Khalil Greene, to score Robles. Olmedo Saenz then delivered another single past Greene that was almost identical to Kent's, except this one scored two runs and tied the score.

``I just told myself not to try to do too much,'' Saenz said. ``Just drive the ball somewhere and try to get a base hit. One of the reasons (for the team's offensive struggles) is that sometimes we are trying too hard to do too much. You get yourself out that way.''

Cesar Izturis led off the 10th with a double, just his fifth hit in his past 59 at-bats. Mike Edwards bunted him to third and, after Jayson Werth walked, Kent brought Izturis home with a flyball to medium-depth center. Yhency Brazoban worked around two walks in the bottom of the inning. Afterward, Tracy was asked about his club's execution. This time, finally, there was no reason for him to say he was in favor of it.

``Considering the way this series started, I would say heartbreak would be a pretty good choice of words,'' Tracy said. ``(But) I really think what you have seen the last couple of days is an awareness of some of the mistakes we have made, and they have been young-people mistakes. From a standpoint of the little things and executing some of the situational stuff, it's very obvious to me that it's hitting home with some of them.''

The Dodgers (35-37) are hitting home themselves now, but only in the sense that baseball now considers Anaheim to be part of Los Angeles. They begin their final interleague series tonight at Angel Stadium, where they won two of three last year in what proved to be another turning point.

Tony Jackson,[phone]

tony.jackson(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

photo, 4 boxes

Photo:

Dodgers outfielder Jayson Werth slides home to tie the score 3-3 on Olmedo Saenz's 8th-inning single.

Donald Mirelle/Getty Images

(1) DODGERS VS. ANGELS

- Gabe Lacques

(2) GAME RECAP

(3) HOW THE RUNS SCORED

(4) ALMANAC