MADDUX STARTS DODGERS OFF RIGHT NO-HITS PADRES FOR 6 1/3 INNINGS IN WIN DODGERS 3, SAN DIEGO 1.

Byline: RICH HAMMOND Staff Writer

All the early-morning sprints in Vero Beach, Fla., and the cross-country red-eye flights in June, pointed to this, a four-game series in which the Dodgers could take a fairly firm grasp of their destiny.

With the scene set - a half-game lead over visiting San Diego in the National League West, their Hall of Fame savior on the mound - the Dodgers started arguably their most important weekend of the season.

"They can cut that (out-of-town) scoreboard off for a few days," manager Grady Little said.

With the pressure of the playoffs upon them Friday, the Dodgers did not wilt. Greg Maddux, who has struggled of late, rose to the occasion with 6 1/3 no-hit innings and the offense contributed just enough as the Dodgers beat the Padres 3-1 in front of 52,911 at Dodger Stadium.

J.D. Drew, Julio Lugo and Olmedo Saenz each drove in one run for the Dodgers, who lead the Padres by 1 1/2 games with 15 games remaining.

Maddux, acquired from the Chicago Cubs at the trade deadline to provide rotation depth, has exceeded all reasonable expectations in the past eight weeks, but no more so than Friday.

The Padres managed only three walks until Brian Giles singled with one out in the seventh, on a 1-0 count, Maddux's 66th pitch.

Little pulled Maddux after the seventh. Maddux (13-13) struck out one and threw 68 pitches.

"Everyone knows Greg Maddux and everyone knows what kind of pitcher he is," Little said before the game. "He is not going to no-hit a team for six or seven innings, but he's going to compete and give his team a chance to win."

Little might not have a future as a fortune teller, but he nearly witnessed history. In his Dodger debut Aug. 3 at Cincinnati, Maddux tossed six no-hit innings before his outing was ended by a rain delay.

Momentum didn't seem to be heading in the Dodgers' favor Friday. They lost six of 10 games on the recent road trip and had a 3-11 record against the Padres this year, including 0-5 at Dodger Stadium.

It was also hard to know what to expect from Maddux against the Padres. As a member of the Cubs this season, Maddux faced San Diego twice. In the first outing, he allowed seven earned runs in 3 2/3 innings. In the second, he allowed one run (unearned) on four hits in 7 1/3 innings.

Maddux, who went 3-0 in his first six starts with the Dodgers, failed to complete the sixth inning in either of his past two starts, both of which were losses, leading to concern that he might have run out of gas.

Those fears vanished early. Maddux walked Dave Roberts walked on five pitches to start the game, but Roberts was thrown out by Dodgers catcher Russell Martin while attempting to steal second.

Adrian Gonzalez walked with one out in the second inning but was erased when Maddux snagged a line drive by Mike Cameron and doubled Gonzalez off first to end the inning.

It seemed that Maddux might be fading in the fifth, when he walked Cameron and needed 18 pitches to get through the inning, but he came back to retire the side on six pitches in the sixth.

Through three innings, San Diego's David Wells nearly matched Maddux pitch for pitch, as he allowed only a second-inning single to Julio Lugo, but the Dodgers managed a huge two-out rally in the fourth.

Jeff Kent walked, then Drew blasted a double to center, over the head of Cameron. Kent, who has been slowed by a strained oblique muscle, lumbered around the bases and narrowly beat the throw to the plate. Lugo then blooped a single to right to score Drew from second for a 2-0 lead.

Wells (0-1) lasted five innings and allowed the two runs on six hits with one walk and two strikeouts.

The Dodgers took a 3-0 lead in the seventh on Saenz's run-scoring sacrifice fly. The Padres scored in the eighth, when Gonzalez scored from third on Lugo's throwing error.

Takashi Saito pitched a perfect ninth inning for his 19th save.

The Dodgers' Nomar Garciaparra left the game after the sixth with what was initially diagnosed as a strained left quadriceps. His status for the rest of the series is unknown.

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CAPTION(S):

3 photos, box

Photo:

(1 -- color) The Dodgers' Jeff Kent assists on a putout at first base Friday against San Diego. Kent also scored the game's first run.

(2) Dodgers starter Greg Maddux checks his grip while taking a no-hitter into the seventh inning Friday night against San Diego.

(3) Dodgers second baseman Julio Lugo avoids the Padres' Brian Giles to finish a seventh-inning double play and help Greg Maddux.

Hans Gutknecht/Staff Photographer

Box:

DODGERS vs. SAN DIEGO

- Rich Hammond