Roberts Is King of the Hill

HOUSTON — Facing another in a series of seemingly must-win situations Thursday night, the Dodgers found ways to keep hope alive.

Center fielder Dave Roberts made a thrilling catch in the eighth inning to rob Lance Berkman of a tying two-run home run, Paul Shuey retired Jeff Bagwell to escape a jam in the fifth and closer Eric Gagne established another major league record as the Dodgers escaped with a 6-3 victory over the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park.

The Dodgers salvaged a victory in the three-game series, ended a four-game losing streak and pulled within 1 1/2 games of five teams tied atop the National League wild-card standings as Roberts helped Gagne survive a scare en route to his record-breaking 44th consecutive save.

“We’ve picked ourselves off the carpet a number of times this year, and we did it again tonight,” said Manager Jim Tracy, whose team improved to 68-64.

“We used every resource we had in order to be able to do it, including every inch of that hill to get [Roberts’] arm up over that wall.”

Roberts stunned the Astros (70-63) -- co-leaders of the NL Central -- and a crowd of 24,054 with his inning-ending play in the eighth. He climbed the ballpark’s incline in straightaway center, known as “Tal’s Hill,” to catch Berkman’s drive to the right of the 436-foot sign.

The Dodger bench erupted as Roberts squeezed the ball in his glove while fending off a fan and slamming into the padded wall.

“I knew it was going to be a tough play, but I had to find a way to make that play,” Roberts said. “It’s hard to keep your footing when you’re going up the hill, but I practiced it a little in [batting practice] and just kind of got used to it.”

Berkman crushed Gagne’s 1-and-0 changeup, but Roberts was ready.

“As soon as I hit it, I knew it was going to be close,” Berkman said. “When I saw where he was playing at the base of the hill the whole at-bat, I knew he was going to have a real good chance to catch it.

“But that was horrible hand-eye coordination of whoever that fan was out there. I watched the replay, and I don’t know how he missed it. But he did, and Dave caught it and made a great play.”

Roberts’ “SportsCenter” moment followed clutch relief from Shuey (5-4), who rebounded from a poor outing in Tuesday’s 18-4 loss.

With two out, two on, a run already in and the Dodgers clinging to a 4-3 lead, Tracy pulled left-handed starter Wilson Alvarez and summoned right-hander Shuey to face the right-handed batting Bagwell.

Bagwell hit a comebacker on a 2-and-2 count, and Shuey tossed to first baseman Fred McGriff to finish the inning.

“Two months ago, I would never have made that move,” Tracy said of removing Alvarez one out short of the minimum number of innings for a victory. “Two months ago, he gets the opportunity to put himself in position to win this game. But at this juncture of the season, it’s about wins for the Dodgers.”

Jeromy Burnitz -- who had two hits and three runs batted in to pace an 11-hit attack -- hit his 26th home run in the eighth. Paul Lo Duca’s run-scoring single in the ninth provided a three-run cushion for Gagne, who had relieved Guillermo Mota.

Energized by Roberts’ assist, Gagne had two strikeouts in a 1-2-3 ninth to break the record for consecutive saves in one season, which he had shared with Tom Gordon.

Gagne extended his record for consecutives saves to start a season, moved within two saves of Gordon’s record of 54 in a row (set with Boston from 1998-99) and tied Atlanta closer John Smoltz for the majors’ top mark this season.

Gagne’s record-setting run of saves began here last Aug. 28, and he said it almost ended here too.

“I knew he hit it really good, but it’s a big park and D.R. is a good center fielder,” said Gagne, whose last blown save occurred last Aug. 26.

“I thought it was going to be pretty close. It turned out to be one of the greatest catches I’ve ever seen.”

Typically, Gagne focused on the team benefit of his latest individual accomplishment.

“It’s all about wins, so it’s a good record,” said Gagne, who in two seasons as a closer has converted 96 of 100 save opportunities. “There are some records that are not really good for teams. When you get a save, the team gets a win, and that’s good.”

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NL Wild Card

*--* W L GB DR Florida 70 63 -- E2 Philadelphia 70 63 -- E2 Houston 70 63 -- C1 St. Louis 70 63 -- C1 Montreal 71 64 -- E4 Arizona 69 64 1 W2 Chicago 68 64 1 1/2 C3 Dodgers 68 64 1 1/2 W3 DR-Division rank

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Save String

Eric Gagne needs four saves to become the fifth Dodger to reach 100. Gagne set a major league record for consecutive saves in a season with 44. Dodger save leaders:

*--* PITCHER SAVES 1. Jeff Shaw 129 2. Todd Worrell 127 3. Jim Brewer 125 4. Ron Perranoski 101 5. Eric Gagne 96 6. Jay Howell 85 7. Clem Labine 83 8. Tom Niedenfuer 64 9. Charlie Hough 60 10. Steve Howe 59

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