FIT TO BE TIED; MISSED CHANCES HAUNT DODGERS : SAN FRANCISCO 6 DODGERS 5.

Byline: Kevin Acee Daily News Staff Writer

Todd Zeile, who had already hit a run-scoring double Thursday and had 12 RBI in the previous 12 games, watched a maddeningly down-the-middle fastball from Giants pitcher Rod Beck go by for a called third strike.

Teammate Eddie Murray, with 1,917 RBI in his career, swatted the next pitch from Beck into the ground to start a double play that ended the Dodgers' 10th inning, stranding runners at every base.

The Giants' Brian Johnson, with 40 RBI in 92 games this year, hit a fastball from Mark Guthrie into the wind and into the bleachers beyond left field.

Johnson's 12th-inning home run on the first pitch thrown by Guthrie gave the Giants an instant 6-5 victory in front of 52,140 screaming fans at 3Com Park.

It was the Giants' 14th victory in 16 one-run decisions at home this season.

It was the Dodgers' 16th loss in 24 one-run decisions on the road.

``This was a game we should have won,'' Zeile said. ``But there's a lot of games we should have won this season. Add this to the list.''

This particular should-have left the Dodgers and Giants in a tie for first place in the National League West with nine games to play. The two teams do not play each other again, having finished their season series 6-6.

So the Dodgers, as they have done so well all season, will try to forget.

``If we're thinking back to these games, we're going to get our butts kicked by the Rockies,'' Zeile said.

The Giants, who celebrated Johnson's homer as if the championship had been won, will not soon forget. The two teams have differing views on momentum.

``It means a lot,'' Giants manager Dusty Baker said of his team's two-game sweep here the past two days. ``It puts us back to where we were Opening Day. Now it's a chance to see who plays best and who wants it most. That last two days, it appears we did.''

The Dodgers quietly returned Thursday night, with a beleaguered, overworked bullpen, for their final homestand. They host the Colorado Rockies for three games beginning tonight. The San Diego Padres are in town Tuesday and Wednesday before the Dodgers go to Denver for a season-ending, four-game series. The Giants' remaining schedule seems a little friendlier. They begin a four-game series at San Diego tonight, then play two at Colorado. They finish the season with three at home against the Padres.

``I don't think this is a particular situation where it drives them over the top and sinks us,'' Zeile said. ``. . . The fact is we'll land in L.A. tied for first place. We've got nine games left to show we're a better team than they are.''

Zeile and Murray had a chance to put the Dodgers in a much better position to show that.

Mike Piazza, Eric Karros and Raul Mondesi singled in succession to load the bases without an out being recorded in the 10th inning. Baker walked to the mound to talk with Beck, the Giants' version of Todd Worrell. It was Beck who blew his seventh save Monday in Atlanta, allowing the Dodgers to move into first place alone.

When Baker left the mound with Beck still on it, the boos rained down.

Up came Zeile, thinking get the ball out of the infield for the lead. But the Dodgers' most-discerning batter watched a 2-2 pitch pass. He confirmed later the pitch was all strike.

The Dodgers were still looking good when Murray came to the plate to pinch-hit for Antonio Osuna, who had pitched a perfect ninth inning. But Murray promptly chopped a ball to second baseman Jeff Kent, who threw home to force Piazza. Johnson, the Giants' catcher, then threw to first base to get Murray and end the inning.

``This was really the first game in a while where we got ourselves in a position to win it and we haven't,'' Karros said. ``You can only go to the well so often. . . . Nine out of 10 times you're going to score in that situation.''

At least nine of 10.

``We should have scored,'' Murray said.

Beck walked off the field pumping his fist as if he were beating someone up. Baker turned to the fans behind the dugout and worked a windmill with his right arm. The crowd launched into its loudest ``Beat L.A.'' chant of the series.

In came Worrell, the Dodgers' version of Beck. He struck out Marvin Bernard and Bill Mueller. He walked Barry Bonds before getting out of the inning on a fly ball by Stan Javier to left field.

Beck shut down the Dodgers in order in the 11th. Worrell, who has blown three of his past five save opportunities, did the same to the Giants.

Beck stayed in for the 12th and set down Otis Nixon, Piazza and Karros.

Guthrie, in a tight race with Worrell for the title of Dodgers' least-trusted pitcher, was called on to start the bottom of the inning. He described what happened on his first pitch as well as anyone could:

``The wind was blowing in about 110 mph,'' Guthrie said. ``He hit it right through it.''

Whether the setback rips through the Dodgers will be seen soon enough.

THE LOWDOWN 

The Dodgers and Giants each have nine games remaining in the pursuit of the NL West title. Both are 5-1/2 games behind Florida in the NL wild-card race, meaning winning the division is probably the only way they will make the playoffs. A look at the rest of the schedule:

DODGERS

At home: Colorado (Tonight, Saturday, Sunday), San Diego (Tuesday, Wednesday)

On the road: Colorado - (Sept. 25, 26, 27, 28)

GIANTS

On the road: San Diego (Tonight, Saturday, Sunday, Monday),Colorado (Tuesday, Wednesday).

At home: San Diego (Sept. 26, 27, 28).

CAPTION(S):

2 Photos, 2 Boxes

Photo: (1--Color) While Dodgers coach Joe Amalfitano watches, right, the Giants celebrate Brian Johnson's 12th inning home run that broke a tie in the game and created a tie in the standings.

(2) Giants left fielder Barry Bonds, who hit a three-run homer in the fifth, can't bring in a ball hit by the Dodgers' Otis Nixon in the first inning that went for a home run.

Associated Press

Box: (1--Color) THE LOWDOWN (See Text)

(2) DODGERS TODAY