A HIGH FOR LOWE TOUGH-LUCK PITCHER GETS JUST ENOUGH SUPPORT IN WIN.Byline: JILL PAINTER Staff writer Derek Lowe Derek Christopher Lowe[1] (born June 1, 1973 in Dearborn, Michigan)[2] is a Major League Baseball pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers. He throws and bats right-handed. and Ervin Santana Ervin Ramon Santana (born December 12, 1982 in La Romana, Dominican Republic) is a right-handed starting pitcher for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Career Santana was a starting pitcher for the Angels' double-A affiliate, the Arkansas Travelers early in 2005, where he matched each other inning for inning. Lowe had a career-high 11strikeouts, and Santana didn't allow a hit until the fifth inning. They worked much quicker and more efficiently than the woman that sang the national anthem before Friday's game. The two-hour, 16-minute game didn't seem to last as long, either. But all good pitchers' duels must come to an end, and ironically enough, Lowe came out on the winning end. Luis Gonzalez Luis Gonzalez is a common personal name that can refer to different people:
The Dodgers also ensured they won't get swept by the Angels, as was the case nearly a month ago, when they were outscored 19-4 in Anaheim. And Gonzalez ensured this pitching gem by Lowe wouldn't be wasted. "It sure is a good sign for him," Gonzalez said. "He was probably thinking, 'Here we go again. I'm pitching a good game and these guys aren't scoring any runs.' But it was a one-hit game through the fifth." The Angels were 0 for 12 from the sixth spot on down in the order. Angels batters struck out 14 times, and Lowe is usually a groundball pitcher A groundball pitcher is a pitcher that relies on getting hitters to hit into ground outs instead of flyballs or strikeouts. Most groundball pitchers rely heavily on the sinker to jam hitters to hit the ball hard to one of the infielders. . Dodgers pitchers have struck out 10 or more batters 20 times this season, so it wasn't a fluke. "We couldn't get anything going, and we don't strike out that much," Scioscia said. "For us to strike out 11 times against (Lowe), that meant he was really doing something great." Actually, Lowe said, he was just lucky. That's laughable, considering Lowe had been baseball's most unfortunate pitcher, with three complete-game losses this season. He just didn't think he did anything special. "It's not like I had strikeout stuff. It almost happened by accident," Lowe said. "Having been in the American League American League (AL) One of the two associations of professional baseball teams in the U.S. and Canada designated as major leagues; the other is the National League (NL). , I kind of know how to pitch them. You've got to go right at them." But Santana's performance shouldn't be forgotten. He didn't allow a hit until Matt Kemp Matthew Ryan Kemp[1] (born September 23, 1984, in Midwest City, Oklahoma)[2] is a Major League Baseball outfielder who plays for the Los Angeles Dodgers. singled with two outs in the fifth. Santana allowed two runs through seven innings, and with just a little more offense, he might have won. The Angels hadn't had such a poor offensive performance since losing 12-0 May 24 in Detroit. "I feel very happy because I pitched great, and we tried to do our best, but you have to tip your cap to Lowe," Santana said. "He also pitched a great game." Gonzalez's two-run single to left-center field off Santana broke a scoreless tie, and the two runs amounted to an enormous cushion for Lowe, who walked just one and allowed only four hits through seven innings on 96 pitches. But he wasn't the only dominant Dodgers pitcher. Jonathan Broxton Jonathan Roy Broxton[1] (born June 16, 1984, in Augusta, Georgia),[2] nicknamed "The Ox," and "The Biggest Man In The World" by former Cub and current Arizona Diamondbacks announcer Mark Grace, is a Major League Baseball pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers. needed just 10 pitches to retire the side in the eighth, and Takashi Saito pitched an eventful but scoreless ninth for his 19th save. With two out in the ninth, Gary Matthews
For the son, see Gary Matthews Jr. "That one ball I thought I could get, but I've got (Rafael) Furcal furcal /fur·cal/ (fur´k'l) shaped like a fork; forked. fur·cal adj. Forked. furcal forked. behind me," Saito said through an interpreter. Lowe didn't have a problem until the seventh. Vladimir Guerrero led off the inning with a ground-rule double to right on a ball that grazed a sprinting Kemp's glove near the wall. Lowe struck out Matthews, then Kotchman singled to right to easily score Guerrero. The only thing that slowed Santana was a comebacker by Russell Martin that hit him in the left calf in the top of the fifth. Trainers came out to the field, but Santana continued to pitch. He even smiled as trainers left the field, but that smile didn't last through the sixth. Chone Figgins singled to left with two out in the sixth, extending his hitting streak to a career-high 14 games. Friday's game marked the third time this year -- and fourth in Dodger history -- that a record 56,000 have attended a game at Dodger Stadium. jill.painter@dailynews.com (818) 713-3615 CAPTION(S): 5 photos Photo: (1 -- color) Dodgers starter Derek Lowe allowed just one run over seven innings and struck out a career-high 11 batters Friday. (2 -- color) Luis Gonzalez drove in the Dodgers' only two runs with a single in the sixth. (3) Angels starter Ervin Santana allowed two runs on five hits in seven innings. (4) The Dodgers' Rafael Furcal, left, and Juan Pierre celebrate after scoring on a two-run single by Luis Gonzalez in the sixth. (5) Dodgers shortstop Rafael Furcal tags out the Angels' Jose Molina on a stolen-base attempt in the third inning Friday. Hans Gutknecht/Staff Photographer |
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