DODGERS STUNNED BY TURN OF EVENTS CUBS PUT TOGETHER UNLIKELY RALLY IN EIGHT TO WIN CHICAGO 5, DODGERS 4.

Byline: VINCENT BONSIGNORE Staff Writer

One second, the Dodgers are cruising through the top of eighth inning with two outs, no one on base and a two-run lead.

The next, they're sitting in the dugout looking at the scoreboard saying: Wait, we're down by a run? How did that happen?

How, indeed.

The Dodgers are still shaking their heads at the weird turn of events that sabotaged them in a 5-4 loss to the Cubs in front of 41,288 at Dodger Stadium Wednesday night.

They led 4-2 with two outs in the top of the eighth with top reliever Danys Baez throwing free, easy and dominant. Baez normally handles just the ninth inning, but with a day off today, the Dodgers short an available reliever and the fact Baez hadn't pitched in three days made it an easy choice to send him out for the final two innings.

After retiring the first two batters, it looked like he'd skate into the ninth.

But a bloop line drive just over the outstretched glove of Rafael Furcal followed by a slow grounder to Baez that he never quite got control of put runners at first and second. Then the unimaginable: Michael Barrett's single to left not only scores Neifi Perez, it's followed by Jason Repko's high throw over the head of catcher Dioner Navarro to put runners at second and third.

That set up Ronny Cedeno's sinking liner to right field to score Jacque Jones and Barrett to give the Cubs a 5-4 lead.

Just like that.

All with two outs.

In an instant a two-game winning streak had vanished. So too had Brady Penny's third pitching win of the year and the Dodgers hopes of pulling even in the won-loss column on the young year. Penny left after the sixth inning leading 4-2.

``It was just a crazy inning,'' Baez said. A blooper. A broken bat. I can't get my hands on the grounder because it's got all kinds of crazy backspin. Just a crazy, crazy inning. But that's how it works out sometimes. There's no explaining it. It's just baseball.''

Repko, who had a two run home run in the second inning to give the Dodgers a 2-1 lead, agreed.

``Those are those tough things than happen in a ballgame that you can't even really explain,'' he said. ``You just suck it up and go on to tomorrow. But it's still tough to swallow.''

Repko took responsibility for the high throw home that moved two runners up a base to set up Cedeno's game winning hit.

``I just rushed it and it ended up losing us the game,'' Repko said. Brad Penny definitely should have had that win. He pitched a great game. But the balls just fell in for them.''

Penny, who gave up nine hits and two runs with seven strikeouts in six innings barely missed his third win for the second straight game.

``I felt good, but I don't care about anything I did I just wanted us to win the game,'' Penny said. I would have rather given up five runs and us won 8-5, but that's the way it goes sometimes. I feel good about the way we're playing. It's not like we're getting blown out in these losses, we're losing by just a run or two. We'll be fine.''

The Dodgers took a 4-2 lead in the sixth on RBI singles by Jose Cruz Jr. and Ricky Ledee.

They had an opportunity to tie it in the eight when Repko reached second on a throwing error by Cedeno. But Bob Horwy got Dioner Navarro to fly out to center to end the inning.

The Dodgers had one more chance in the ninth when Kenny Lofton singled to center off Ryan Dempster with one out. But Dempster got Cruz to strike out and Jeff Kent to line out sharply to short to end the game.

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3 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) A tag by Dodgers shortstop Rafael Furcal is too late to stop Chicago's Juan Pierre from stealing second base.

(2) Jason Repko blasts a two-run homer in the second inning off Chicago starter Sean Marshall.

(3) Dodgers shortstop Rafael Furcal collides with Chicago first baseman Derrek Lee as Furcal makes it safely to first base on a bunt.

Evan Yee/Staff Photographer