DODGERS BULLPEN FAILS TO PROTECT LEAD : HOUSTON 4, DODGERS 3.Byline: Tim Brown Timothy Donell Brown (born July 22, 1966) is a retired wide receiver, who played in the National Football League. He spent sixteen years with the Oakland Raiders, during which he established himself as one of the League's most prolific wide receivers. Daily News Staff Writer Bill Russell Noun 1. Bill Russell - United States basketball center (born in 1934) William Felton Russell, Russell still is standing out there, 28 games and counting. Beneath him, as they did for 76 games under Tom Lasorda, the Dodgers find ways to lose nearly as often as they scratch together victories. There are small surges and then retreats, though never anything sustained in either direction. Apparently, they are just good enough to avoid sweeping failure, while bad enough to fall short of their own expectations. In the Astrodome as·tro·dome n. A transparent dome on the top of an aircraft, through which celestial observations are made for navigation. Noun 1. on Friday night, the Dodgers' ordinarily seamless bullpen did not hold a lead that was seven innings in coming, and the Houston Astros “Astros” redirects here. For other uses, see Astros (disambiguation). The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team based in Houston, Texas. The team is in the Central Division of the National League. defeated them 4-3. Rather than their fourth win in five games, the Dodgers lost their eighth in 13. Left-hander Mark Guthrie ``We wouldn't be where we are if it wasn't for our pitching staff,'' said Russell, the interim manager. ``Especially our bullpen.'' Presumably pre·sum·a·ble adj. That can be presumed or taken for granted; reasonable as a supposition: presumable causes of the disaster. , it was meant as a compliment. The Dodgers scored twice in the seventh inning against Astros right-hander Donne Wall Donnell Lee Wall (born July 11, 1967 in Potosi, Missouri), is a former professional baseball player who pitched in the Major Leagues primarily in relief from 1995-2002. Teams
They earned it with three consecutive two-out singles with runners in scoring position In the sport of baseball, a baserunner is said to be in scoring position when he is on second or third base. The distinction between being on first base and second or third base is that a runner on first can usually only score if the batter hits an extra base hit, while a runner on , though the last resulted in an out at home plate. Raul Mondesi singled to start the inning. After two were out, and with Mondesi at second, Greg Gagne Greg Gagne may refer to:
Still, the Dodgers led 3-2. The Astros yawned and scored twice. Guthrie, brilliant for going on four months, gave up a single to right-handed hitter Jeff Bagwell, then a double to Derek Bell, who bats from the same side. Bell's hit, on a 3-and-2 forkball fork·ball n. Baseball A pitch with the ball placed between the index and middle fingers so that the ball takes a sharp dip near home plate. fork that he hooked over third baseman Mike Busch's head, scored Bagwell. Bell eventually scored on a one-out sacrifice fly. ``That,'' Guthrie said of the ball Bell hit, ``was a good pitch. The ball to Bagwell was a good pitch. They did their jobs. They were good.'' Though not necessarily alarming, the bullpen's sudden bent toward mediocrity is at least curious. Certainly the relievers are having difficulty measuring up to the standard they themselves set. ``In San Francisco, that's kind of a quirky series,'' Guthrie said. ``The game we blew against San Diego, they didn't hit the ball (well). Tonight, they didn't scorch the ball. They fall in. Those things are going to happen. ``We're obviously not pitching as well as we did the beginning of the year. On the same note, I don't think anybody's pitching poorly.'' Guthrie (2-1) was the loser, after starter Ramon Martinez allowed two runs in six innings. The Astros scored early on Wall's double in the third and Craig Biggio's two-out homer, his 11th. ``They've been outstanding in the first half,'' said Dodgers cleanup hitter Eric Karros, who homered in the second. ``To expect them to be that way the entire year would be asking quite a bit. That isn't to say we're expecting this.'' In an inning that might have been wasted, Mike Piazza doubled to start the fourth. When the third out was made, he was still at second base. ``They had some opportunities too,'' Karros said. ``It didn't help things, but the pitcher (Wall) hitting a double doesn't help things. They just beat us tonight. They win.'' Russell happened by just as Guthrie called off his interview, rather abruptly. Russell explained that Antonio Osuna, a right-hander, did not pitch to Bagwell or Bell because Russell wanted ground balls, a specialty of Guthrie and his forkball. ``They did their jobs,'' Russell said with a shrug. ``Guthrie, really, did his. But they got base hits.'' CAPTION(S): 2 Photos Photo: (1--color) Dodgers' Ramon Martinez is mad about C raig Biggio's homer. (2) Delino DeShields avoids Derrick May to complete a second-inning double play. Associated Press |
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