GAGNE CAN'T SAVE DODGERS ALL-STAR CLOSER FALLS SHORT AS ARIZONA AVOIDS SWEEP ARIZONA 5, DODGERS 3.

Byline: Brian Dohn Staff Writer

PHOENIX - All-Star closer Eric Gagne has been so effective, Dodgers manager Jim Tracy hasn't hesitated to use him for four- and five-out saves.

Even with setup man Paul Quantrill ready in the bullpen with two runners on and one out in the eighth inning Wednesday, it was an easy decision for Tracy. However, for only the second time this season, Gagne didn't reward his manager.

Quinton McCracken greeted Gagne with a two-run triple and scored on a sacrifice fly as Arizona second three times in the eighth inning and beat the Dodgers 5-3 at Bank One Ballpark, avoiding a three-game sweep and ending Gagne's run of converted saves at 20.

``He's the premier closer in baseball, and after I got in the hole 0-2, I'm up there battling,'' McCracken said. ``I had a couple of emergency hacks there, just fighting and hoping to put the ball in play. Hopefully, it plants a little seed in the back of his head that we can work it to our advantage next time he's in that situation.''

It was Gagne's second blown save in 32 chances. His other came May 7, when he allowed a Gary Sheffield homer at Atlanta in a game the Dodgers won in extra innings. The loss Wednesday also was the Dodgers' first in 46 games this season when leading after seven innings.

``I'm already thinking about tomorrow. I'm not worried about today,'' said Gagne, who walked his first batter since May 4. ``It cost us the game, but that's the name of the game. Sometimes you're going to fail. I threw some good pitches, but they deserved to beat me.''

The Dodgers' lead the National League West was cut to 2 1/2 games, but they have history on their side. Since 1990 (excluding the strike-shortened 1994 season) 41 of the 61 teams that led or were tied for the division lead on Independence Day won the division.

Arizona began its winning rally when Junior Spivey extended his hitting streak to 17 games with a one-out single to center off reliever Guillermo Mota. Reliever Jesse Orosco walked pinch hitter Greg Colbrunn before McCracken tripled into the right-field corner on an 0-2 changeup by Gagne to give Arizona a 4-3 lead. Mark Grace added a sacrifice fly to make it 5-3.

``I think the 0-2 pitch got too much of the plate,'' Gagne said. ``I should have thrown it in the dirt. He just threw the bat out there and made contact. He had a great at-bat. He fouled off some good pitches.''

Dodgers right fielder Shawn Green hit his 26th homer, a two-run shot to straightaway center field in the first inning.

The Dodgers got the best of the D'backs in this series but a potentially nasty undercurrent could flow into next weekend's four-game series at Dodger Stadium because of an incident in the Dodgers' victory Tuesday.

Arizona pitcher Rick Helling hit Dodgers third baseman Adrian Beltre with a pitch in the middle of the back after allowing three runs in the sixth inning. Later, Helling was adamant he didn't intentionally throw at Beltre.

Tracy, however, questioned Helling's intent. It was Helling's only pitch after injuring his right ankle when he collided with Brian Jordan on a play at home plate. Helling was diagnosed with a high ankle sprain but said he planned to make his regularly scheduled start Sunday in L.A.

``I know I'm an honest person and I know I live my life the right way,'' Helling said. ``If I wanted to hit him on purpose, I'd tell you I wanted to hit him on purpose. I had no reason to, let alone hit him and then fake an injury. That's ridiculous.

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Photo:

(color) Arizona's Tony Womack, right, scores on a sacrifice fly in the sixth inning as Paul Lo Duca stands by helplessly.

Paul Connors/Associated Press