DON'T LOOK NOW, BUT DODGERS CLICKING BELTRE, NOMO KEY FOURTH WIN IN A ROW DODGERS 4, CINCINNATI 3.

Byline: Jill Painter Staff Writer

The Dodgers could make this wild-card race interesting after all.

They seemed doomed after a miserable road trip last week. But after a four-game winning streak, things look a lot better. At least for now.

Behind another game-winning hit from Adrian Beltre, the Dodgers swept the Cincinnati Reds with a 4-3 victory Thursday in front of 30,625 at Dodger Stadium.

It was the Dodgers' first three-game sweep since they won at Cleveland June 13-15.

The Dodgers pulled within 4 1/2 games of Philadelphia in the wild-card race. Granted, this was against the Reds, who are 51-63. But a victory is a victory for the Dodgers, who had lost five in a row before their current streak.

And for the second consecutive night, it was Beltre coming up with the big hit.

``(Beltre) obviously can play a major role throughout the remainder of the season,'' Dodgers manager Jim Tracy said. ``Our year is not over by any stretch of the imagination. There's so much baseball left to be played.''

Beltre hit a two-run double to right in the third inning for the eventual game-winner. Beltre may struggle most of the year but throughout his career, he's been money in August. And this month has been no different, as his back-to-back game winning hits shows.

Eric Gagne earned a save for the third consecutive day by striking out the side in the ninth for his 38th save, which ties him with Jose Mesa (Cleveland/1995) for the most consecutive saves to start a season in major-league history.

Shawn Green hit his 40th double of the season in the first inning to give the Dodgers a 1-0 lead. Green needs seven more to tie the franchise record for doubles and just five more to tie a career-high.

``We've played well the last few days,'' Green said. ``We're still in the race. If we can continue this hot streak, anything can happen.''

Hideo Nomo pitched 6 1/3 innings and allowed three runs on six hits. He walked four and struck out four. It certainly wasn't one of his more dominant outings, but it was good enough to earn his 13th victory.

The Dodgers scored two runs in the third to take a 3-2 lead and added another in the fourth. Jeromy Burnitz singled to right to score Cesar Izturis for a 4-2 lead. The Reds came back and pulled to within one run after D'Angelo Jimenez hit a solo home run to right field off Nomo to lead off the seventh.

Nomo ended his night by striking out Ray Olmedo, then handed things over to the Dodgers' dominant bullpen. Tom Martin, Paul Quantrill and Gagne pitched 2 2/3 shutout innings for another win. Martin, who has had five arm surgeries, has been impressive.

``I hate to beat a dead horse, but if we score four runs, with the pitching we have, you're going to have a hard time beating us,'' Tracy said.

The Dodgers play the Chicago Cubs - with Eric Karros making his first return to Dodger Stadium - starting today. It's a chance for either team to chip into the wild-card lead. The Cubs are 58-54 and head of the Dodgers in the wild-card race.

Not that Tracy is studying the wild-card standings with great detail.

``Do you look at it? Yeah, sure,'' Tracy said. ``You can look at it all you want but if you don't win games ... it's insignificant.''

Jill Painter, [phone]

jill.painter(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

2 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) Paul La Duca gives the Dodgers a 3-2 lead in the third inning Thursday as Reds catcher Jason La Rue scrambles for the ball.

(2) Hideo Nomo wasn't as sharp as usual Thursday, but he pitched the Dodgers to their fourth consecutive victory.

Phil McCarten/Staff Photographer