ANGELS SHOULDER ON VICTORY COMES DESPITE INJURY TO GUERRERO ANGELS 9, DODGERS 0.

Byline: Rich Hammond  Staff Writer

Neither team felt much like a winner Friday night in the first battle of Los Angeles vs. Los Angeles.

The game went into the Angels' win column, since they chased Scott Erickson in the second inning and went on to defeat the Dodgers 9-0 in front of 54,543 at Dodger Stadium, but the victory seemed hollow, since Vladimir Guerrero left the game with a left shoulder injury.

Guerrero, last season's American League MVP, departed after the top of the fifth inning, which he ended with an awkward slide into home plate while he unsuccessfully tried to avoid a tag.

Initial X-rays revealed sublaxation, which is a partial dislocation, but the team's medical staff was able to put the shoulder back in place. Guerrero will undergo a full set of X-rays and more evaluation today.

``(Losing Guerrero) would be a huge blow,'' Angels starter Jarrod Washburn said. ``Any time you lose the MVP of the league, it's a huge loss. Hopefully he won't be out long. If he is, we'll just have to find a way to get through it.''

Guerrero attempted to score from first base on Steve Finley's double but was tagged out, stayed on the ground for several moments and held his arm as he walked off the field, seemingly in significant pain.

``Vlady plays the game hard,'' manager Mike Scioscia said. ``When he goes down like that, you know it's something that could be serious.''

The injury put a damper on an otherwise outstanding game for the Angels, who got seven shutout innings from Washburn (3-2) and pounded Erickson early.

In the first meaningful game between the teams since the Los Angels Angels of Anaheim adopted their new name, Dodgers fans seemed ready to run Erickson out of the entire state. They booed him off the field after the shortest outing by a Dodgers starter this year, as Erickson allowed four runs in 1 2/3 innings.

It could have been far worse, but manager Jim Tracy didn't let Erickson labor. Erickson (1-4) walked Washburn to load the bases in the second, then Chone Figgins hit a three-run triple.

Darin Erstad's sacrifice fly then gave the Angels a 4-0 lead, and after Jeff DaVanon followed with a single, it was clear that Erickson wasn't going to reverse course, so he went to the dugout instead.

After the game, Tracy said he would make a decision on Erickson's status in the rotation in the coming days.

``That's not something I ever dwell on right after a game is over,'' Tracy said. ``I'll take some time to assess what I saw.''

Erickson said he thought he could fix the problems that plagued him Friday.

``I was flying open, and sometimes in the heat of battle you don't realize what you're doing,'' Erickson said. ``It's very easy to correct.''

The Angels blew the game open in the ninth, as DaVanon walked with the bases loaded and Juan Rivera, Guerrero's replacement, followed with a grand slam to center to make it 9-0.

The Dodgers had little offense. Cesar Izturis led off the first with a single but was erased on a double play, and Olmedo Saenz hit a two-out double in the second, but other than that, Washburn dominated.

After Saenz's double, Washburn retired nine consecutive Dodgers, and he didn't allow another hit until Izturis singled up the middle with one out in the sixth.

Washburn left after the seventh. He allowed five hits, walked one and struck out one and pitched with the lead for most of the game. Washburn came out to start the seventh but left for a reliever, and after the game said he had experienced some minor elbow tightness, but nothing serious.

With one out in the second, Bengie Molina and Adam Kennedy singled and moved up on Jason Phillips' passed ball with Washburn at the plate. Washburn, behind 1-2 in the count, worked a walk, and Figgins lined a 2-2 pitch into the right-center field gap to clear the bases.

Wilson Alvarez, a former starter, was given the unenviable task of long relief, but did a tremendous job. In 4 1/3 innings, Alvarez allowed zero runs, one hit and zero walks and struck out two.

Rich Hammond, [phone]

rich.hammond(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

2 photos, 6 boxes

Photo:

(1 -- color) Vladimir Guerrero is helped off the field after jamming his left shoulder on a play at home plate in the fifth.

(2) Dodgers starting pitcher Scott Erickson lasted only 1 2/3 innings on Friday, allowing four runs.

John Lazar/Staff Photographer

Box:

(1) DODGERS vs. ANGELS

- Rich Hammond

(2) STORY LINES

(3) GAME RECAP

(4) HOW THE RUNS SCORED

(5) ANGELS ALMANAC 

(6) DODGERS ALMANAC