LOS ANGELES — Striking out Manny Ramirez, hitting 100 mph on the radar gun, recording his 40th save and making the Dodgers sweat blue bullets wasn't enough for Brian Wilson.

A few minutes after blowing away three hitters in the 11th inning to nail down the Giants' 1-0 victory, Wilson stood in front of an arcade-style video game machine, towel around his waist, and played 1980s Nintendo baseball.

You couldn't blame the Giants for wanting to replay what catcher Bengie Molina termed their best game of the season. They made a bank vault worth of defensive gems behind Matt Cain, received some of their most spectacular relief work of the year and stayed alive long enough to get the clutch hit they needed.

Rich Aurilia's two-out single scored pinch runner Brad Hennessey in the 11th inning, as the Giants took two of three in their final road series and sent tremors of fear through Chavez Ravine.

The Dodgers' lead shrank to 2?› games over the charging Arizona Diamondbacks in the N.L. West. And several Giants hope their archrivals are still looking to clinch when they arrive at AT&T Park for the season-ending series next weekend.

"We want to make them go down to the wire," Cain said. "We want to make them battle for it."

For now, mission accomplished. Giants relievers retired all 15 hitters they faced, and Aurilia broke through in the 11th-inning shadows against Takashi Saito.

Aaron Rowand started the rally with a one-out single, sore-legged pinch hitter Pablo Sandoval limped safely on a fielder's choice and Hennessey did more than one could expect from a pitcher, stealing the first base of his career.

Eugenio Velez's infield single put runners at the corners for Aurilia, who hit a line drive to left field.

"I don't know what next year holds for me," said Aurilia, an impending free agent. "But if that's the way I go out in my last game at Dodger Stadium as a Giant, that's pretty cool."

Wilson was stoked to become the third pitcher in Giants history to record a 40-save season, joining Rod Beck (once) and Robb Nen (four times).

"It feels pretty ridiculous to be in that kind of company," Wilson said, "considering how much the fans actually like those guys."

Wilson hoped all series for a confrontation with Ramirez and he got it, striking out the MVP candidate on a 98 mph fastball. Wilson twice hit 100 mph while striking out Casey Blake to end the game.

"I actually wanted (Ramirez) batting third, but that's fine," Wilson said.

Cain remained winless in 10 career starts against the Dodgers, but only because the Giants failed to score behind the right-hander for the eighth time in his 32 starts.

But they supported him in other ways, making four stunning defensive plays to prevent runs.

"Holy cow," Cain said. "I think everybody got a Gold Glove today, didn't they?"

Shortstop Ivan Ochoa made a leaping catch of James Loney's broken-bat flare with the bases loaded in the first inning. With the rope loosened, Cain escaped by striking out Blake and Matt Kemp.

In the third, right fielder Nate Schierholtz made a full-extension, diving catch down the line to rob Loney of a run-scoring double.

Outfield defense saved Cain again in the fifth. Rowand, whose arm has been erratic this season, charged Andre Ethier's single to center and fired a one-hop strike to nail Angel Berroa at the plate. With the bases loaded after an intentional walk to Ramirez, Loney stung a line drive to shallow left, where Randy Winn made a tumbling catch. While he was still rolling in the grass, Winn thrust his arm in the air to show he hadn't trapped the ball.

It was a sprawling, heart-pumping, encouraging day toward the end of a very long summer.

"That was a fun game to play," Aurilia said. "I've said this all month: These young guys need to remember what these games feel like. I don't know if they realize it, but in a pennant race, every game is like this."