DODGERS DON'T SLIP ON THEIR WATCH KEEP PACE WITH PADRES, PHILLIES BY BEATING D-BACKS DODGERS 2, ARIZONA 0.

Byline: RICH HAMMOND  Staff Writer

Managers don't watch the out-of-town scoreboard during a pennant race. Or at least that's what they say, to avoid the perception that they're focusing their attention on anything but the field in front of them.

Then there's Dodgers manager Grady Little, who freely admitted to scoreboard gazing, and more.

``Sometimes I stare and pray,'' Little said, and Friday had to be one of those nights.

By the time the Dodgers took the field, Philadelphia had already won, and the news didn't get any better a couple hours later, when San Diego won. That put the pressure on the Dodgers to keep pace, and they did, narrowly, with a 2-0 victory over Arizona in front of 43,990 at Dodger Stadium.

J.D. Drew's solo home run and Marlon Anderson's RBI double, both in the seventh inning, provided the margin of victory for the Dodgers and starter Derek Lowe (15-8), who pitched seven shutout innings.

``As little as he likes to let on, he's an outstanding athlete,'' Little said of Lowe. ``He has ice water in his veins and he's one of the guys you want out there with the money on the table.''

Lowe scattered five hits, walked three and struck out three. He's 5-0 in eight starts since Aug. 9, but Friday he struggled with command so much that he went into the clubhouse between innings to view video.

``It was beyond a struggle,'' Lowe said. ``But at the end of the day, when you get positive results you feel better about a game like this.''

The victory allowed the Dodgers to maintain a hold on a playoff spot, at least for one more night. They remain a half-game behind the Padres in the National League West but hold a half-game lead over the Phillies for the wild-card spot, with just eight games remaining in their regular season.

``It was a game we had to have,'' Lowe said. ``Nobody gives you anything. We have to earn it.''

The Dodgers, shut down for six innings, came through in the seventh against starter Claudio Vargas.

Drew led off the seventh and hit Vargas' 1-1 pitch over the wall in right-center.

``It was a fastball out over the plate,'' Drew said. ``It was a well-pitched game. Fortunately, Vargas got one out over the plate that I could drive.''

Two outs later, Russell Martin doubled, and Anderson, pinch-hitting for Lowe, doubled home Martin. That was the last pitch for Vargas (11-10), who allowed eight hits in 6 2/3 innings.

Arizona threatened in the eighth, when Orlando Hudson's one-out double put runners on second and third, but Beimel got Luis Gonzalez to foul out and Takashi Saito struck out Eric Byrnes.

Saito pitched the ninth for his 21st save and his first multi-inning save since Aug. 2. Little turned to Saito earlier than usual because Jonathan Broxton had pitched in four of the past five games.

Friday night didn't represent a must-win game for the Dodgers, but it was big, and although they had arguably their best pitcher taking the mound, Lowe hadn't fared well against Arizona this season.

In three previous outings against the Diamondbacks, Lowe was 1-1 and had allowed eight earned runs in 13 innings. But in his last outing, Lowe allowed San Diego just one run in seven innings for a victory.

The Dodgers needed a big effort from Lowe, not just for the sake of the standings but for the sake of the relievers, since the bullpen had thrown 192/3 innings over the previous four nights.

``You don't want to go into a game thinking about the number of innings you have to throw,'' Lowe said. ``It was a game where I had to figure out how to get through it and for the most part I did.''

Lowe gave his relievers some relief, but not without something of a shaky beginning.

A walk, an infield single and a fielder's choice grounder put Arizona runners on first and third with one out in the first, but cleanup hitter Byrnes grounded to shortstop into an inning-ending double play.

From there, Lowe settled down. He walked Chad Tracy to lead off the second but immediately erased him on a double play, and didn't allow another hit until Stephen Drew's one-out single in the fifth.

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CAPTION(S):

2 photos, box

Photo:

(1) J.D. Drew is congratulated by Dodgers manager Grady Little after a solo homer in the seventh inning.

Michael Owen Baker/Staff Photographer

(2) PENNY

Box:

DODGERS vs. ARIZONA

- Rich Hammond