JUST LIKE A BROKEN RECORD NOT JUST ANOTHER SAVE FOR GAGNE, AS THIS ONE GOES DOWN IN HISTORY DODGERS 4, HOUSTON 1.

Byline: Rich Hammond Staff Writer

The selection inspired skepticism from the start, but ever since the Dodgers chose Eric Gagne as their closer in spring training of 2002, baseball hasn't been the same.

Gagne, perhaps the closest thing to perfection the sport has seen in a long time, surprised nobody by getting the job done again Tuesday night. It was only a notable outing because Gagne's 55th consecutive save, in the Dodgers' 4-1 victory over Houston, broke Tom Gordon's major-league record for consecutive saves.

Gordon established the mark from April 19, 1998, to June 5, 1999, with the Boston Red Sox.

When the Astros' Craig Biggio struck out to end the game, what remained of the Dodger Stadium crowd of 28,406 roared approval, and Gagne had his 47th save of the season - also extending his record for most saves to start a season.

The Dodgers have come to expect nothing but brilliance from Gagne, whose only blown save this season came in the All-Star Game, and he rarely disappoints.

The Dodgers held a two-run advantage with two outs in the eighth but when Houston's Richard Hidalgo reached second, manager Jim Tracy summoned Gagne, who struck out Brad Ausmus on four pitches to end the threat.

Then Gagne finished the job. Shawn Green has a weakened right arm, Fred McGriff a gimpy gait and Wilson Alvarez a surgically repaired shoulder, but together they contributed enough working parts to get the game to Gagne and help the Dodgers take a positive step in the National League wild-card race.

McGriff hit two home runs, Green's RBI double started a three-run fourth inning and Alvarez turned in another impressive effort as the newly installed fifth starter.

Several times last month, the Dodgers failed to take advantage of losses by teams ahead of them in the wild-card race. But the Dodgers' victory, and the Florida Marlins' loss, moved the Dodgers to within 1 1/2 games of the Marlins and Philadelphia Phillies for the playoff spot.

With ace Kevin Brown pitching today, the Dodgers have a chance to win the series against the playoff-contending Astros and head out on a crucial seven-game road trip with some positive momentum, made possible by Tuesday's effort.

Alvarez (3-1) allowed one run on six hits, walked one and struck out two in five innings, the fourth time in his past five starts he has allowed fewer than two earned runs in an outing. Alvarez now has a 3.26 ERA as a starter this season.

It didn't look so good for the Dodgers early in the game. Ausmus' groundout scored Jeff Kent from third in the second inning to make it 1-0 Astros, and Houston stranded two runners when pitcher Tim Redding fouled out to right.

Redding (8-14) retired the first nine Dodger batters, but Dave Roberts reached on an infield error to lead off the fourth. Green, whose season-long battle with a frayed labrum recently came to light, hit a one-out double into the left-center gap to score Roberts from first.

McGriff, still bothered by a sore groin, followed with a towering home run to right field. Redding left after 5 2/3 innings, having allowed the three runs (two earned) on five hits with zero walks and four strikeouts. McGriff also hit a solo home run in the eighth, his 13th of the season and 491st of his career.

Rich Hammond, [phone]

rich.hammond(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

photo, 2 boxes

Photo:

(color) Eric Gagne saved his major-league-record 55th consecutive game Tuesday, breaking Tom Gordon's mark set in 1989 with Boston. It helped the Dodgers gain a game in the National League wild-card race.

Matt Sayles/Associated Press

Box:

(1) STORY LINES

(2) NL WILD CARD