Gagne Makes Dodgers Feel Good in Loss : Baseball: Right-hander throws six scoreless innings in major league debut. Marlins win, 2-1.

MIAMI — Eric Gagne is considered the top pitching prospect in the Dodger farm system, and the confident Canadian right-hander reinforced that perception Tuesday night.

His new team also reinforced the notion that it is a major disappointment, wasting Gagne’s outstanding effort in his major-league debut during a 2-1 loss to the Florida Marlins.

The 23-year-old Gagne was removed in a scoreless game after six innings because Manager Davey Johnson was determined not to let the rookie’s positive experience turn negative. The Marlins scored twice in the eighth to win.

Gagne pitched superbly, mixing a moving 93-mph fastball with a sharp changeup and curve. He allowed two hits, struck out eight and walked one while throwing 67 strikes in 100 pitches.

And Gagne singled in his first at-bat against Marlin rookie starter Ryan Dempster, also a native a Canada and one of Gagne’s longtime friends.

Gagne did so well he is expected to start Sunday against the New York Mets at Dodger Stadium.

Not bad, eh?

“This is like a dream come true,” said Gagne, who was recalled from double-A San Antonio on Tuesday. “I always believed I could pitch here, I have a lot of confidence, but to do this, and get a hit too--it’s awesome!”

The Marlins scored two runs in the eighth against rookie Matt Herges (0-1) on a run-scoring triple by Alex Gonzalez and an error by first baseman Eric Karros to take a 2-0 lead. Pinch-hitter Devon White had a two-out, run-scoring single in the ninth, but Antonio Alfonseca held on for his 17th save.

The Marlins defeated the Dodgers for the second time in as many rain-delayed games before a crowd of 13,644 at Pro Player Stadium. Tuesday’s game was delayed one hour, 21 minutes.

Karros struck out to leave the bases loaded in the fifth against Dempster. The Dodgers also stranded Raul Mondesi after he tripled in the fourth.

The hard-throwing Dempster, 22, who played with Gagne on an 18-and-under Canadian national team in 1993, pitched seven scoreless innings.

The Dodgers (65-73) dropped to 2-6 this season against the Marlins (56-82) and 3-2 on the six-game trip that ends today. Team officials, however, were downright giddy because of Gagne.

“Anyone who knows me knows I hate to lose, and I usually don’t smile after losses, but I’m smiling today because of Eric Gagne,” said General Manager Kevin Malone, whose faced was creased by a wide grin as he spoke with reporters outside the visitors’ clubhouse. “He showed a plus fastball, a plus changeup and a plus curve.

“He wasn’t afraid to pitch inside, he went right after people. He did it the way it’s supposed to be done. I wish we could have gotten him some runs because he deserved to win that game, but he’s got a bright, bright future ahead of him.”

Manager Davey Johnson was equally impressed with Gagne, who was selected the Texas League pitcher of the year after going 12-4 with a 2.63 earned-run average for the Missions.

“I’ve seen a lot of good pitchers break into the big leagues, and this [performance] was right up there at the top,” Johnson said. “He showed three quality pitches and he really had no problems. Just a real impressive performance. Real impressive.”

Gagne had the most strikeouts by a Dodger in his first start since Pedro Astacio struck out 10 against the Philadelphia Phillies in the second game of a doubleheader July 3, 1992. Gagne gave up two-out singles to Mark Kotsay in the first and Mike Lowell in the second.

How good was his command?

Four of his eight strikeouts were on called third strikes. He recorded outs against the first two batters he faced in every inning, and retired the side in order during the third, fifth and sixth innings.