A NEW LOWE FOR DODGERS WINLESS STREAK CONTINUES SAN FRAN. 6, DODGERS 0.

Byline: Rich Hammond  Staff Writer

Derek Lowe, usually all smiles and laughs in the clubhouse, even in the hours leading up to a start, remained oddly quiet Friday afternoon. Perhaps Lowe had an premonition of what was coming.

Lowe, still revered in Boston for his playoff heroics last fall, quickly is wearing out his welcome in Los Angeles, and his status in this city took another big hit Friday, as did many of his pitches.

Another poor outing from Lowe put the Dodgers on the brink of the unthinkable after a 6-0 loss to San Francisco in front of 51,057 at Dodger Stadium. With another loss this afternoon, the Dodgers would fall into fourth place in the National League West, a half-game behind the Giants.

``Derek struggled early on with his command and location of pitches,'' manager Jim Tracy said, ``and it dug a hole for us. With where we're at with our lineup, a five- or six-run deficit is a huge hole for us to try to climb out of.''

Former Pepperdine standout pitcher Noah Lowry allowed two hits in 7 1/3 shutout innings, Ray Durham hit three doubles and drove in four runs and Michael Tucker went 4 for 5 as the Dodgers managed just six baserunners and dropped to 40-50, their worst record after 90 games since an identical mark in 1992.

Injuries haven't helped the Dodgers, but Lowe, who signed a four-year, $36-million contract in January, has been a major anchor sinking the Dodgers in the standings in the last five-plus weeks.

Lowe (5-10) is winless in his last seven starts, 0-5 with a 7.29 ERA in that span. For the second time in his last three starts, Lowe failed to complete the fifth inning Friday, when the Giants battered him for six runs on 10 hits, including two home runs, in 4 2/3 innings. Lowe hasn't won a game since June 6.

``I just stunk it up,'' Lowe said. ``It wasn't a very competitive start. Lowry was on his game and we were doomed from the start.

``You can't ignore the fact that you're struggling. I can't just say, 'Hey, I'm OK.' I have to watch some video and see if there's anything I'm doing different. I've always said that hitters tell you how your stuff is. I've given up (eight) home runs in my last three starts, so there must be something wrong.''

Tracy put together what he thought was a solid lineup. Right-handed hitters were batting .290 against Lowry, so Tracy wrote down the names of seven right-handed hitters and lefty Oscar Robles, who entered Friday with eight hits in 16 at-bats against lefties this season.

It sounded good in theory, but didn't work in practice. Lowry, who entered the game with a 5.07 ERA, didn't allow a hit until Jason Phillips doubled down the left-field line with two out in the fourth inning.

Lowry (6-9), who also had a 7.57 road ERA, dominated the Dodgers with a strong changeup. Lowry allowed only Phillips' double, Jason Repko's fifth-inning single and three walks. Lowry left with one out in the eighth after allowing walks to Jayson Werth and pinch-hitter Hee-Seop Choi. He struck out seven.

``Noah Lowry set us down pretty well,'' Tracy said. ``He had location with his slider and he spotted his fastball very well.''

Then there was Lowe, who already has reached a career-high with 17 home runs allowed. Friday's blasts, solo shots by Michael Tucker, to lead off the game, and Pedro Feliz, in the second, gave the Giants a 2-0 lead, but it was a ground ball with the bases loaded in the third that did in Lowe.

Durham lined a 1-1 pitch just inside first base and down the line. The ball took an odd bounce off the wall in foul territory and all three runners scored easily. Durham was thrown out by Werth, the right fielder, trying to stretch the hit into a triple, but the damage was done and the Giants led 5-0.

The Giants chased Lowe from the game in the fifth. With two out, Moises Alou singled to put runners on first and second, and Durham then blasted a RBI double to right-center for a six-run lead.

Rich Hammond, [phone]

rich.hammond(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

photo, 4 boxes

Photo:

Giants starter Noah Lowry may have had a 7.57 road ERA coming into Friday's game, but he took a two-hitter into the eighth inning against the Dodgers.

Keith Birmingham/Staff Photographer

Box:

(1) DODGERS vs. SAN FRANCISCO

- Rich Hammond

(2) GAME RECAP

(3) HOW THE RUNS SCORED

(4) ALMANAC