Los Angeles Dodgers closer Eric Gagne struck out the side in his first appearance this season. However, the former Cy Young winner had already yielded back-to-back homers and a single before finally completing the ninth inning in a 5-1 loss to the Atlanta Braves on Saturday night. Gagne was activated from the 15-day disabled list prior to the contest and saw his first action of the season after suffering from knee and elbow problems in Spring Training. He was greeted by a Chipper Jones homer and then surrendered a homer to Andruw Jones. Julio Franco followed with a single, but Gagne struck out Brian Jordan, Johnny Estrada and Raul Mondesi to end the inning. There was some doubt as to whether or not Gagne would play right away after being activated, as he still needs to serve a two-game suspension that was handed to him while on the disabled list. Gagne, who is appealing the suspension, was issued the penalty after he was ejected from a game after arguing with an umpire on April 6 in San Francisco. League rules state that a player on the DL can not take part in any in-game activity -- such as warming up pitchers and arguing with an umpire. The 2003 NL Cy Young Award winner, Gagne had 55 saves in 2003 and put together another outstanding season in 2004 when he went 7-3 with a 2.19 ERA and 45 saves. To make room for Gagne, the Dodgers optioned pitcher Steve Schmoll to Triple-A Las Vegas of the Pacific Coast League.