Alvarez Gives a Solid Effort

The trade that sent Guillermo Mota to the Florida Marlins continued to create disastrous implications for the Dodgers after they learned Tuesday that Darren Dreifort, the reliever they had tabbed to replace the dependable setup man, probably was lost for the season because of a knee injury.

Fortunately for Paul DePodesta, the acquisition of center fielder Steve Finley continued to lessen the possible damage caused by the Dodger general manager’s more audacious move.

Finley collected three extra-base hits, including a homer, and Wilson Alvarez capped his strong seven-inning performance by escaping a bases-loaded, no-out jam during the Dodgers’ 6-1 victory over the Marlins in front of 45,731 at Dodger Stadium.

With San Francisco and San Diego each winning Tuesday, the first-place Dodgers (70-48) maintained their 5 1/2 -game lead over the Giants and 6 1/2 -game lead over the Padres in the National League West.

Finley, acquired with Brent Mayne in the July 31 trade that sent Bill Murphy, Koyie Hill and Reggie Abercrombie to the Arizona Diamondbacks, hit his second homer as a Dodger and 25th this season, a solo shot to right field in the first inning. The 39-year-old had doubles in the third and seventh and in 14 games with the Dodgers is hitting .452 with 10 runs batted in.

“I was due for a turnaround,� said Finley, who hit .184 in July. “The luck’s starting to go my way.�

Alvarez (7-3) worked his way out of a bases-loaded mess in the seventh by striking out Alex Gonzalez and pinch-hitter Damion Easley before retiring Juan Pierre on a fielder’s choice.

“I wasn’t thinking about strikeouts,� said Alvarez, who was hoping for ground balls. “I don’t think I have the stuff to strike out anyone.�

Emboldened by Alvarez’s escape act, the Dodgers added two runs in the seventh and one in the eighth. Adrian Beltre hit his 34th homer, a solo shot to right-center field in the eighth that prompted fans to repeatedly chant “MVP! MVP!� Beltre joined Gary Sheffield, Mike Piazza, Shawn Green and Eric Karros as the only Los Angeles Dodgers to hit that many homers in a season.

Giovanni Carrara, one of three relievers Manager Jim Tracy said would pitch the eighth inning in the absence of Dreifort, who suffered a severely sprained anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee Monday, lingered into the ninth and retired six of the seven batters he faced.

“We still trust the bullpen,� said Alvarez, who gave up six hits and an unearned run, struck out six and walked one. “They have guys who can get the job done.�

A rare error by second baseman Alex Cora led to the Marlins’ only run. After Gonzalez lined a one-out single to left-center field, he went to second on A.J. Burnett’s bunt. Cora, who fielded the toss from Alvarez to retire Burnett at first base, fired toward second in an attempt to get Gonzalez, who had taken a few steps toward third.

But the ball sailed into left field, allowing Gonzalez to score and trim the Dodgers’ lead to 3-1.

The Dodgers, who had the fewest errors in the major leagues, committed another error to help the Marlins load the bases in the seventh.

Mike Lowell led off with a bunt single between the mound and the third-base line and went to second when third baseman Beltre bobbled Jeff Conine’s grounder. Juan Encarnacion followed with another bunt single, leaving Alvarez with no margin for error.

“That’s the difference in the game,� Tracy said of Alvarez’s final inning. “It’s just a terrific job that he did all night long.�