Los Angeles ? Milton Bradley was right where he wanted to be — at the plate with the bases loaded and two outs in the ninth inning of a close game.

So was San Francisco closer Armando Benitez, signed during the offseason for just these kinds of situations.

Bradley’s two-run single off Benitez tied the game, left fielder Jason Ellison’s error on the play allowed the winning run to score, and the Dodgers beat the Giants, 9-8, Tuesday in their home opener.

“If I could go up there every time in a pressure situation, I might hit .400,” the switch-hitting Bradley said. “I want to be in that situation.”

The Giants led 8-5 entering the ninth, and Benitez (0-1) retired leadoff batter Jason Phillips on a grounder to short to start the inning. But pinch-hitter Ricky Ledee doubled and took third on Cesar Izturis’ single. After pinch-hitter Jose Valentin popped to first, J.D. Drew walked to load the bases.

Jeff Kent drew another walk to force in a run, making it 8-6, and Bradley followed by lining a 2-2 pitch to left. The ball got past Ellison and rolled to the wall, allowing Kent to score from first.

“I wanted to take a strike, and I knew that Benitez wouldn’t let me pull the ball,” Bradley said. “I was looking on the outer half of the plate.”

Ellison retrieved the ball after Kent had scored, and spiked it in anger on the warning track. The Dodgers mobbed Bradley on the infield.

The error was the Giants’ fourth of the game.

Los Angeles' Milton Bradley connects for a game-winning, bases-loaded single in the ninth inning. San Francisco catcher Mike Matheny watches at left. The Dodgers defeated the Giants, 9-8, Tuesday in Los Angeles.

“What we’ve got here is a team that’s going to play nine innings,” Kent said. “You don’t see many balls like that go by an outfielder.”

The win was reminiscent of the Dodgers’ division-clinching rally from a 3-0 deficit on the second-to-last day of the season against the Giants last year — one of the factors that led San Francisco to pursue a proven closer like Benitez in the offseason.

“He’s at his best between 93 and 95 (mph),” Giants manager Felipe Alou said.

Diamondbacks 4, Rockies 2

Phoenix — Pinch-hitter Tony Clark hit an RBI double off the center-field wall in the eighth inning and scored the go-ahead run on Royce Clayton’s single, giving Arizona a victory over Colorado.

Clayton scored on Luis Gonzalez’s double — his second RBI of the game — and Brandon Lyon pitched a scoreless ninth for his third save.

Cardinals 5, Reds 1

St. Louis — Jason Marquis hit a bases-loaded triple and pitched into the seventh inning, leading St. Louis. Jim Edmonds and Reggie Sanders hit back-to-back homers in the sixth inning for the Cardinals, who rebounded after a day off from a pair of blowout losses to the Phillies in which they gave up 23 runs.

Nationals 4, Braves 3

Atlanta — New Braves closer Dan Kolb gave up three runs in the ninth inning, ruining a strong outing by Tim Hudson and helping Washington rally. Brian Schneider hit a two-out, two-run double off Kolb, acquired from Milwaukee during the offseason to replace John Smoltz as closer. Hudson allowed only six hits in eight innings, turning the ball over to Kolb with a 3-1 lead.

Pirates 4, Brewers 2

Milwaukee — Mark Redman survived a shaky start and a line drive off his right kneecap, and Daryle Ward ended Pittsburgh’s homerless streak at 56 innings in the Pirates’ victory over Milwaukee. Redman (1-0) allowed his first two batters to score but settled down after that.

Marlins 8, Phillies 2

Miami — A.J. Burnett pitched an eight-hitter, and Florida’s fickle offense came alive against Randy Wolf to beat Philadelphia. Mike Lowell and Paul Lo Duca hit two-run homers off Wolf, and Miguel Cabrera hit a solo homer and drove in two runs. The Marlins have outscored opponents 34-2 in their four wins, and they’ve totaled just six runs in four losses. Wolf (0-1) failed to hold a 2-0 lead and fell to 2-11 against the Marlins with an earned-run average of 5.76. No team has beaten him more.

Padres-Cubs postponed

Chicago — Mark Prior had to wait an extra day to make his 2005 debut. Rain caused postponement of Tuesday’s game between San Diego and Chicago. The game was rescheduled as part of a doubleheader today.