Regulars get start for sake of fans

Penny, who has a $9.25-million option for next season that could be bought out for $2 million, said this month that he was disappointed that the Dodgers refused to extend his contract this spring. Trainer Stan Conte said that as far as he knew, Penny would remain under his watch as he rehabilitated his ailing shoulder over the next six weeks.

Short hops

Takashi Saito pitched a shaky eighth inning, giving up a walk, a hit and an earned run. He threw 20 pitches and topped out at 93 mph. . . . Ramirez, who hasn't missed a start for the Dodgers, said he wants to start each of the remaining regular-season games, with the possible exception of the last one. Torre said Ramirez would set his own playing schedule. . . . The Dodgers will return home Sunday from their regular-season finale in San Francisco and take part in a rally at 6 p.m. that evening. Admission is free. . . . The Dodgers drew 52,569 fans Thursday to raise their season attendance total to 3,730,750. The season total was down from the 3,857,036 fans they drew last year and marked the first attendance decrease since 1998.

Times staff writer Bill Shaikin contributed to this report.

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dylan.hernandez@latimes.com