PENNY RISES, BUT STILL DOWN BASEBALL: STARTER NOT HIS OLD SELF AS DODGERS LOSE FIFTH CONSECUTIVE GAME. MILWAUKEE 5, DODGERS 3.

Byline: Tony Jackson 

Staff Writer

MILWAUKEE -- This wasn't the same Brad Penny who had imploded just a week ago, giving up double-figure runs in what was arguably the ugliest start of his otherwise-comely career.

But it also wasn't the same Penny who pitched in each of the past two All-Star Games and who has gradually blossomed during his three-plus seasons with the Dodgers into a staff ace capable of dominating an opposing lineup.

And on Tuesday night, when the Dodgers ran their losing streak to a season-worst five games with a 5-3 defeat at the hands of the Milwaukee Brewers in front of 26,465 at Miller Park, somewhere in the middle simply wasn't good enough for Penny.

The regular Penny, the one the Dodgers have come to rely on in situations when they absolutely, positively have to win a game, would never have given up three run-scoring hits, all with two outs and two strikes. The regular Penny would never have responded to a gift out in the fourth inning -- when Brewers right fielder Corey Hart inexplicably tried to steal third after his one-out double and got thrown out easily -- by serving up a fat, 3-2 fastball to Bill Hall, who slammed it for just the third home run given up by Penny this year.

Mostly, though, the regular Penny would never have walked the opposing pitcher, in this case Carlos Villanueva, on four pitches to lead off an inning, something he did in the fifth when the Dodgers were nursing a 3-2 lead.

Predictably, the opportunistic Brewers parlayed that faux pas into a three-run, game-turning rally.

Yes, Brewers manager Ned Yost did have Villanueva batting eighth instead of ninth. But no, that didn't mean Villanueva was such a good hitter that Penny needed to pitch around him.

"(Penny) threw strikes early in counts and got ahead," Dodgers catcher Russell Martin said. "But we just made a few mistakes when we were ahead in counts. I think there was a splitter that was left up a little bit. He had good stuff, but he just didn't finish guys off like he needed to. He threw the ball better than he did in his last outing, that's for sure."

That, of course, would be hard for Penny not to do. The New York Mets knocked him out in the fifth inning May 7 after torching him for a career-worst 10 earned runs on 10 hits.

That was the game that started this sudden slide by the Dodgers, who continue to gasp for air without leadoff man and offensive catalyst Rafael Furcal, and who continue to waste chances to pick up ground in the standings.

This time, they took leads of 1-0 on a two-out RBI single by Jeff Kent in the first inning (his only hit in his past 22at-bats); 2-0 on a two-out, RBI single by Matt Kemp in the third; and 3-1 on Russell Martin's RBI single in the fourth.

But Penny, who has now given up 15 earned runs on 19hits in 102/3 innings over his past two starts, couldn't hold on.

During the losing streak, Dodgers starting pitchers have an 8.46 ERA.

"We still need to pitch better," Dodgers manager Joe Torre said. "Brad had good stuff, but there were a couple of times when he got hurt 0-2. We had a lead. Sometimes, those one- and two-run leads have to hold up."

Especially now, when the Dodgers (19-19) seem to be grasping at straws offensively.

Penny (5-4) started just as he had against the Mets, by retiring the side in order in the first inning. With the Dodgers leading 2-0, he began the third with consecutive strikeouts, then gave up what seemed like a harmless, two-out single to Rickie Weeks. But Weeks stole second, and Mike Cameron singled him in, slicing the Dodgers' lead in half. An inning later, Hall's home run made it 3-2. And then, just when it appeared Penny would get away with walking Villanueva to start the fifth after he froze Weeks for the second out, it all fell apart.

Cameron singled to drive in Villanueva (2-4). Ryan Braun doubled off the left-field wall on a fly ball Juan Pierre initially broke in on, whichscored Cameron. Prince Fielder singled in Braun, sounding the latest death knell for Penny and the struggling Dodgers.

"It really had to do with a few pitches," Dodgers pitching coach Rick Honeycutt said. "Other than that, he threw very well. But you always want to get the leadoff guy, especially the pitcher. That (walk) is what started that (decisive) inning."

Eric Gagne, who had blown five of his previous 14 save chances, ended this one by getting Pierre to pop up on the first pitch after Andruw Jones had worked Gagne for a 10-pitch walk.

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DODGERS

TODAY at Milwaukee, 5 p.m., Miller Park.

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Photo:

Milwaukee's Eric Gagne, right, is congratulated by Jason Kendall after getting the save Tuesday.

Morry Gash/The Associated Press