DODGERS MISS OPPORTUNITY GAGNE BLOWS SAVE IN NINTH; CORA INJURED ARIZONA 6, DODGERS 3.

Byline: Brian Dohn Staff Writer

The disappointment of a rare blown save by Dodgers closer Eric Gagne in the top of the ninth inning quickly gave way to a terrifying scene in the bottom of the inning when Dodgers shortstop Alex Cora was knocked unconscious.

While attempting to steal second, Cora dived and slammed his head into the right knee of Arizona shortstop Tony Womack. Cora was taken off the field by ambulance and diagnosed with a concussion. His health was the predominant issue even after the Diamondbacks scored three runs in the 12th inning off reliever Guillermo Mota to beat the Dodgers 6-3 Monday at Dodger Stadium.

Cora lost consciousness for several moments but was awake and alert when he left the field. He was diagnosed with a concussion and taken to Good Samaritan Hospital for observation and tests.

``He had awareness of where he was and he had movement in his feet and hands,'' Dodgers spokesman John Olguin said.

Dodgers general manager Dan Evans went to the hospital during the game and said X-rays on Cora's spine, a CT-scan and EKG test were all negative. Several teammates went to the hospital after the game.

``All his signs are real good,'' Evans said. ``He was out for approximately 30 to 45 seconds on the field. Our people did a great job of immobilizing him immediately. They put him on stretcher, asked him to move certain areas to make sure everything was OK and there were no issues. As far as a prognosis, everything seems to be OK.''

Cora was on base after drawing a leadoff walk in the ninth inning off Arizona reliever and former teammate Mike Fetters. Cora, who had two singles and a two-run homer in perhaps his finest game of the season, tried to steal second. He dived several feet before the bag, hitting Womack's knee flush.

Womack, who held onto the ball for the out, rolled around near the second-base bag in obvious pain while Cora lay face down, motionless and draped across second base. Team medical personnel rushed to the field, and several minutes later emergency medical technicians were on the field administering to Cora.

While medical personnel were attending to the player, his distraught wife, Nildamarie, came onto the field and was comforted by Dodgers reliever Giovanni Carrara. She went back into the clubhouse when Cora was taken away by ambulance.

``We lost a baseball game, but the most important thing right now is to make sure that boy is OK,'' Dodgers manager Jim Tracy said. ``He and his wife are expecting a little baby, and when you see that, I think it really puts into perspective the importance of life vs. the win or loss of a game.''

Medical personnel immobilized Cora by strapping him to a back board before placing him on a stretcher. Many of the Diamondbacks fielders gathered close by.

``His wife is doing well,'' Evans said. ``She seemed to be upset at first for obvious reasons, but she has calmed down and went to the hospital.''

After several minutes of Cora lying motionless on the infield, fans began chanting, ``Cora! Cora! Cora!'' The game was delayed 12 minutes.

``You feel for him and his wife,'' Fetters said. ``You're praying and hoping they pull through. At that point, you're not thinking about the game.''

The loss enabled San Francisco to pull within 2 1/2 games of the Dodgers in the wild-card race, but for a night any talk of the playoffs was unimportant.

``I think everybody took a deep breath,'' Dodgers first baseman Eric Karros said. ``When it happens, you re-evaluate everything.''

Gagne, who entered the game in the eighth, allowed the Diamondbacks to tie it 3-3 with a two-out RBI double by David Dellucci in the ninth inning. It was Gagne's fourth blown save in 48 chances, and second against Arizona.

``You don't want to see that,'' Gagne said. ``It's scary, the back and the neck. He shouldn't have been in that kind of situation anyway.''

One of the few happy things for Dodgers on the night was their performance against Arizona starter Curt Schilling, who gave up three runs in six innings and was trailing when he left the game.

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(color) Arizona's Curt Schilling was a bit wild against the Dodgers on Monday night, walking three batters.

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