DODGERS RALLY ENDS IN DISAPPOINTMENT L.A. GETS TO SCHILLING BUT LOSES IN 10TH ARIZONA 5, DODGERS 4.

Byline: Brian Dohn Staff Writer

PHOENIX - Having disposed of Randy Johnson rather handily opening day, the Dodgers dared to think about hitting the daily double. Finishing off Curt Schilling would have been a brilliant start to the season.

Oh, what coulda been. Schilling allowed four runs in the eighth inning as the Dodgers rallied to tie it, but the potential go-ahead run was thrown out at the plate with Brian Jordan coming to bat.

Instead, a thrilling comeback turned into a gut-wrenching 5-4 loss when Junior Spivey singled off reliever Paul Shuey to drive in the winning run with one out in the bottom of the 10th inning Tuesday at Bank One Ballpark.

``You get four against Curt Schilling, you think that you have a good chance to win,'' said Dodgers center fielder Dave Roberts, who spearheaded the comeback with a three-run homer off Schilling. ``As disappointing as this loss is, it shows a lot for us to not quit on ourselves and battle back against a guy like Curt Schilling.''

Mark Grace began the winning rally with a one-out double to right on a pitch Shuey later said was a poor choice. Shuey (0-1) overpowered Grace on the first three pitches - a split-finger fastball and two fastballs - but then opted for a curveball. Grace yanked the pitch into the corner.

``I got burned on it right there by a wily veteran,'' Shuey said. ``You get burned on something like that, you pretty much know it's the wrong pitch.''

Shuey's outing deteriorated further when Tony Womack's routine grounder went through the legs of Daryle Ward, who had replaced Fred McGriff at first base.

``I just didn't react quick enough,'' Ward said. ``I was hoping we'd make the next play, a double play. It came up high. That's a play that I make most of the time.''

Instead, a walk to Steve Finley loaded the bases and Spivey drove in the winning run by crushing a 1-1 split-finger fastball down the left field line. Matt Mantei (1-0) pitched a scoreless inning of relief for the win.

``I kind of pitched around Finley and tried to get Spivey and get back in it that way, but you have to get a ground ball from Spivey, too,'' Shuey said. ``I'm trying to throw a split. I threw one and (catcher Paul Lo Duca) pulled some kind of miraculous block. I tried to throw a split a little higher and (Spivey) was all over it.''

That the Dodgers even got it to extra innings was reason enough for them to thump their chests. Schilling, who hasn't lost to the Dodgers since 1997, a span of 13 starts, retired 14 consecutive batters entering the eighth.

Roberts' one-out homer pulled the Dodgers within 4-3 and Paul Lo Duca knocked Schilling from the game with a double. Shawn Green singled off left-handed reliever Mike Myers to tie it 4-4 and McGriff followed with a double into the right-field corner.

Green tried to score but was thrown out on first baseman Lyle Overbay's relay throw to catcher Rod Barajas. Jordan grounded out against Mike Koplove to end the inning.

``(Overbay) had his back turned and he double-clutched it, but he made a good throw,'' Dodgers third-base coach Glenn Hoffman said. ... If it's offline a little bit, he's safe. He made the play and it left the game tied, but I thought he was going to make it. What can I say? We'll keep putting pressure on them.''

CAPTION(S):

photo

Photo:

Arizona's Junior Spivey connects on the game-winning hit as the Diamondbacks beat the Dodgers 5-4 in the 10th inning Tuesday.

Roy Dabner/Associated Press