NEWS ALL BAD FOR DODGERS GAGNE HAS ELBOW SWELLING; L.A. LOSES N.Y. METS 9, DODGERS 7.

Byline: VINCENT BONSIGNORE Staff Writer

The Dodgers fully intended to be cautious with Eric Gagne during the early stages of his comeback from two elbow surgeries over the past eight months.

Now, they have no choice.

A day after completing his first save in nearly a year against the Mets, Gagne underwent an MRI to determine the source of the tightness he was experiencing in his right elbow. Although he was relieved that X-rays revealed no ligament or structural damage, doctors did discover some fluid and inflammation around the ulnar nerve. As a result, he will rest the elbow over the next few days with the hope the inflammation subsides.

Gagne first noticed the tightness while warming up Tuesday before his ninth-inning appearance against the Mets. Although Gagne retired the Mets in order -- striking out Carlos Delgado and David Wright in the process -- the tightness got progressively worse.

Gagne said Wednesday he might have pinched the nerve throwing a changeup in the bullpen Tuesday.

The news didn't get any better for the Dodgers later Wednesday, as they wrapped up a three-game series with the New York Mets by losing 9-7. New York took two of the three games.

Tom Glavine became baseball's first nine-game winner despite a shaky 5 1/3-inning performance, and Carlos Beltran and David Wright each had three hits for the Mets. Shortstop Rafael Furcal drove in four runs for the Dodgers.

But the biggest concern at this point is the health of Gagne.

``Maybe I just threw it too hard,'' Gagne said of his stint on Tuesday. ``And when I turn my changeup over a little too much, it can happen.''

He said he wasn't worried initially because he didn't feel any sharp pain, just tightness. But when the sensation continued through the game he knew it had to be addressed.

``It's just something we really want to be cautious about,'' Gagne said. ``That's why we took the MRI. We wanted to make sure everything was clean.''

Dodger manager Grady Little learned of Gagne's problem after the game Tuesday, and was relieved when the MRI results revealed no extensive damage.

``We feel now like the discomfort he had will be taken care of in the next couple days,'' Little said. ``He's not to the point where we can work him back-to-back games anyway. This will give him a couple of three days for it to calm down.''

Gagne underwent Tommy John surgery on the elbow June 24 of last year, then had surgery to remove the sensory nerve in April. He returned to the Dodgers on June 1, and has made two appearances since. Gagne, who will be on medication to help reduce the inflammation, said team doctors assured him he'll feel considerably better over the next few days.

Nevertheless, he was disappointed about the latest setback.

``I consider it a setback any time I'm not ready to pitch,'' Gagne said. ``But when you go into the elbow twice in eight months, it's tough. It's frustrating and nothing that I want to go through. But when you haven't done something for a year you try to do a little too much. It's frustrating to deal with that.''

Almost as frustrating for the Dodgers was watching the latest struggles of Odalis Perez, whose return to the starting rotation might be short-lived after the Mets knocked him around for seven runs and 11 hits. Perez was making his first start since May 2 at Arizona, having been banished to the bullpen after giving up 13 runs over his past 13 innings as a starter.

He got Tuesday's start only because of the struggles of Jae Seo, but after giving up four runs on five hits in the first inning -- all after getting the first two outs -- it was obvious Perez was picking up right where he left off.

In Perez's defense, the Mets collected three hits in the first inning on shattered bats, so it wasn't like he wasn't like he didn't make quality pitches.

``There's not a whole lot you can do about that,'' said Little, who said Perez will still make his next scheduled start June 16 at Oakland.

Perez said he still thinks he deserves to stay in the rotation, although he won't fight another move to the bullpen.

``If that's the best way I can help this team,'' Perez said.

The Dodgers did what they could to keep Perez in the game, getting two home runs from Rafael Furcal and an RBI single from Russell Martin to pull even at 5-5 in the third, but Perez couldn't make it out of the fourth after RBI singles from Carlos Beltran and David Wright gave the Mets a 7-5 lead.

The Dodgers did their damage against a struggling Tom Glavine, who was working on just three days rest due to a doubleheader the Mets played Saturday after a Friday rainout.

After giving up five runs through the first two innings, Glavine gave up just a solo home run to Jose Cruz Jr. over the next two-plus innings.

Seo, who Perez replaced in the rotation, entered the game with the Mets leading 7-6 but gave up a long two-run home run to rookie Lastings Milledge in the seventh to make it 9-6.

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3 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) Dodgers pitcher Odalis Pere allowed seven runs in 3 2/3 innings against the Mets on Wednesday.

(2) Julio Franco slides home with a run in the first as Dodgers catcher Russell Martin gets the throw late.

(3) Dodgers' Rafael Furcal looks to the sky as he crosses home plate after hitting a three-run homer in the second inning Wednesday.

John McCoy/Staff Photographer