VERO BEACH, Fla. -- The Dodgers played a pair of exhibition games Saturday afternoon, but more important was the work of three rehabilitating pitchers earlier in the morning.

Closer Eric Gagne and starting pitchers Odalis Perez and Brad Penny had bullpen sessions, and each was pleased with the results.

Gagne, who sprained his left knee Feb. 24, took the mound for the first time since and threw 32 pitches, using fastballs, splitters, change-ups and sliders.

"It went better than expected," said Gagne, who plans two more sessions and game action by next weekend. "But it's not where I want to be."

In fact, Gagne said he's preparing for the possibility that the knee will not fully recover for a while.

"I think I'll have to deal with it all year," he said. "[Trainer Stan Johnston] did a good job taping it really tight and it was pretty comfortable, but it's still in my head a little. I feel it a little when I land. I just have to get over the hump and trust it.

"I can't say now that it won't [affect my pitching]. But today it was better than I thought. I'm just not sure how it will hold up."

Perez, out with biceps tendinitis since Feb. 23, also took the mound for the first time since the injury and threw 30 pitches, only fastballs and only at about half-speed.

"It was very good," said Perez, who believes he injured his arm lifting weights. "I had command in the zone. Maybe I'll throw another bullpen Monday, face hitters on Wednesday and pitch in a game Friday or Saturday. I just need to pitch and see how my arm feels. Today, for the first day, perfect."

Perez said he was "throwing comfortable, not trying for velocity. I wasn't throwing 100 percent, but the ball was jumping from my arm. In two weeks, I'll be fine."

Penny, continuing his steady progress, ended his 61-pitch bullpen session with three fastballs that had all the looks of game velocity.

"That was pretty good, huh?" said Penny, obviously pleased. "I got into it quicker today. Sometimes, it's a little, I don't know, stiff on maybe every fifth pitch or every 10th pitch, but today it felt good. And the end was really good, I really cut loose."

Penny's last few pitches looked like season-ready fastballs, and he had his whole body behind them. This was his 12th bullpen session of the spring, and he hasn't missed any or reported any setbacks.

News and features: • Notes: Dodgers regroup as season nears • Angels beat Dodgers • Dodgers notes: No rush for Gagne
Multimedia: • Spring Training gallery: March 5 • Spring Training gallery: March 5 • Ken Gurnick on Gagne's injury
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"His velocity has gone up quite a bit since I caught him last week," said catcher Russell Martin. "I asked if he felt 100 percent at the end and he said he wasn't sure. But those last throws were a good sign. You know it's almost there."

Werth needs time: The arm Jayson Werth fractured 10 days ago is healing slower than he'd hoped.

"It's still sore, there's still some swelling," said Werth. "I've still got, not a long road, but a road, before I'm back to normal. It's a long season and I'm not rushing back while I'm still hurt. That won't help the team. I've got to get healthy to be a positive force. I'll be on the field as soon as I can."

The fracture bothers Werth when he rolls his wrist, making hitting impossible until the pain is gone.

Game recaps: In the split-squad game in Vero Beach, the Dodgers blew a five-run lead against the Mets and wound up tied 5-5 after 11 innings, but starter Kazuhisa Ishii allowed only one hit and two walks over four innings and has not allowed an earned run in seven spring innings.

Russell Martin tripled in two runs and threw out Kerry Robinson trying to steal second. Martin appears to have impressed manager Jim Tracy as much as the other young catcher, Dioner Navarro, who at 21 is one year younger but has one more year of minor league experience than Martin.

Navarro, acquired in the Shawn Green trade, has a shot at making the team along with veteran Paul Bako, whose bruised left hand continues to heal.

In the 0-0 tie in Ft. Lauderdale, Ryan Rupe started and pitched four scoreless innings against Baltimore's first string. Jason Repko had three more hits, Norihiro Nakamura had his second consecutive two-hit game and Jose Flores had two hits.

Sweet Lou hospitalized: Former Dodger Lou Johnson, a member of the club's community relations staff and speakers bureau, was hospitalized at Indian River Hospital after complaining of chest and abdominal pain Saturday morning at Dodgertown. He was reported to be resting comfortably and would remain overnight for observation.

Coming up: Derek Lowe starts Sunday's "A" game for the Dodgers against the Florida Marlins, which will be preceded by a "B" game at 10 a.m. PT, with Wilson Alvarez starting for the Dodgers.

Alvarez, playing catch-up after missing several days with the flu, pitched two perfect innings with three strikeouts in his only appearance. Elmer Dessens, slowed by a calf muscle, will also pitch in the "B" game.