LO DUCA HAS A BLAST DAAL PITCHES CLUTCH GAME DODGERS 1, SAN DIEGO 0.

Byline: Brian Dohn Staff Writer

The Dodgers called on Omar Daal many times to do different things. Pitch long relief, get a few key outs in relief and fill in for Kevin Brown on two occasions after injuries.

Daal did an admirable job in everything asked of him, but it all pales in comparison to the outing he had Friday in helping keep the Dodgers season alive.

Daal pitched eight strong innings Friday and the offense, after failing to produce the key hit in three consecutive innings, got the big hit when Paul Lo Duca led off the bottom of the 10th inning with a home run to give the Dodgers a 1-0 victory over the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium.

A few moments later, the Dodgers' playoff hopes took a hit when San Francisco's Robb Nen closed out the Houston Astros for a 2-1 Giants win. It reduced the Giants' magic number to one.

The next Dodgers loss or win by the Giants will clinch the National League wild-card spot for San Francisco and send the Dodgers home despite winning more than 90 games for the first time 1996.

The Dodgers have two games remaining with the Padres. The Giants play two more this weekend against Houston, and if needed will travel to Atlanta for a make-up game Monday.

Lo Duca, who last homered Sept. 15, hit the first pitch from Padres reliever Jeremy Fikac into the left-field pavilion seats.

Dodgers closer Eric Gagne (4-1) pitched two scoreless innings, as Daal and Gagne allowed just three hits.

The Dodgers, who have earned their last five victories wins by scoring in their final at-bat, had chances prior to Lo Duca's homer but couldn't get the big hit. With two runners on and one out in the seventh, Mark Grudzielanek flied to right and Alex Cora struck out against Padres starter Adam Eaton.

An inning later, Padres manager Bruce Bochy had three relievers wade through a dangerous situation. A one-out walk to Marquis Grissom was followed by Lo Duca getting hit for a pitch. However, Shawn Green grounded out, Brian Jordan was intentionally walked and Eric Karros flied out to deep center field to end the inning.

Grissom couldn't come through with the two-out single needed in the ninth inning. Cora began the rally off reliever Brandon Villafuerte with a two-out walk and Dave Hansen singled to right to move Cora to third. Grissom, though, flied out to left.

In one of the best starts of his career, Daal allowed two hits, walked three and struck out six.

The only inning in which Daal experienced trouble was the fourth, when Mark Kotsay led off with a walk and Deivi Cruz singled to right to put runners on the corners.

But Daal struck out Phil Nevin and got Ryan Klesko to ground back to the mound. Daal, rather than cut the runner off at home, made a heady decision. Knowing the slow-footed Klesko was batting, he threw to second, and the shortstop Cora relayed to first to complete the double play.

The only other hit Daal allowed was Eaton's infield single with one out in the sixth inning.

The Padres haven't had a no-hitter in their history, and Eaton, starting in place of Brett Tomko (sore neck for second consecutive night) made a modest run until Grudzielanek lined a single to center with two outs in the fifth inning. Cora followed with a single, but the Dodgers ran out of the inning when Cora was caught in a rundown. Grudzielanek, who broke for home when Cora was trapped, eventually was tagged out at third.

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Photo:

Paul Lo Duca celebrates after his game-winning home run in the 10th inning Friday night that keeps the Dodgers' playoff hopes alive.

John Lazar/Staff Photographer