NOMO NO LESS THAN IDEAL YET ANOTHER STRONG OUTING KEEPS L.A. IN CONTENTION DODGERS 5, SAN DIEGO 3.Byline: Brian Dohn Staff Writer SAN DIEGO San Diego (săn dēā`gō), city (1990 pop. 1,110,549), seat of San Diego co., S Calif., on San Diego Bay; inc. 1850. San Diego includes the unincorporated communities of La Jolla and Spring Valley. Coronado is across the bay. - The Dodgers needed another huge effort from right-hander Hideo Nomo Hideo Nomo (born Aug. 31, 1968 , Osaka, Japan) Japanese baseball pitcher whose success with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1995 created new opportunities for Asian players in Major League Baseball. . And as he's done throughout the last month, he delivered in an even bigger way. Nomo retired 17 San Diego batters in a row at one point to allow the Dodgers' lineup time to gain its bearings, and in the process kept the Dodgers' season alive again. Nomo matched his career high with his 16th victory and Marquis Grissom • • [ to remain two games behind In sports, the phrase games behind, often abbreviated as GB in tables, is a common way to reflect the gap between a leading team and another team in a sports league, conference, or division. the San Francisco Giants The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California that currently play in the National League West Division. New York Giants history Early days and the John McGraw era in the National League wild-card race. The Giants, who beat the Milwaukee Brewers earlier in the day, and the Dodgers each have seven games remaining. A Dodgers loss would have dropped them three games back and all but out of contention. Nomo (16-6) allowed four hits, struck out seven and didn't walk a batter in matching a season high with eight innings pitched In baseball, innings pitched (IP) are the number of innings a pitcher has completed, measured by the number of batters and baserunners that are put out while the pitcher is in the game. Three outs made is equal to one inning pitched. . Nomo won his seventh consecutive decision, matching a career high. It's the second time he's done that this season. Dodgers closer Eric Gagne surrendered a one-out double to Ryan Klesko in the ninth but retired the Padres for his 50th save. The Dodgers had a strong chance to break a 3-3 tie off San Diego closer Trevor Hoffman (2-5) in the top of the ninth when Adrian Beltre and Mark Grudzielanek had one-out singles to right. However, Alex Cora grounded to first, and Klesko threw home to nab Beltre easily. Pinch-hitter Mike Kinkade was hit by a pitch for the fifth time in 54 plate appearances to load the bases, and Grissom delivered his two-run single to left. The night began on a bad note for the Dodgers after Dave Roberts led off the game with his third homer of the season. But he didn't make it to the bottom of the inning Noun 1. bottom of the inning - the second half of an inning; while the home team is at bat bottom inning, frame - (baseball) one of nine divisions of play during which each team has a turn at bat because he strained his oblique. Roberts will be re-evaluated today but was not optimistic about playing again this season. ``Right now I'm kind of down about it, but hopefully (today) it somehow feels good,'' Roberts said after the game. ``If I had my guess right now, I don't know Don't know (DK, DKed) "Don't know the trade." A Street expression used whenever one party lacks knowledge of a trade or receives conflicting instructions from the other party. what (trainer) Stan Johnston thinks, but it doesn't look good.'' As is Nomo's way the past few weeks of his superb streak, there were rocky moments in the early innings before he found his groove. He created the Padres' first chance when he bobbled Gene Kingsale's bunt in front of the mound. Brian Buchanan singled to right and catcher Tom Lampkin, who had a .213 batting average, hit Nomo's next pitch over the right-field fence to give the Padres a 3-1 lead. Nomo, who has pitched at least six innings in his past 18 starts, settled down quickly. He retired the next 17 batters - of which two hit the ball out of the infield - and allowed the Dodgers' lineup to manufacture runs against Padres rookie Jake Peavy, who was making his first start against the Dodgers. The Dodgers had a chance to get to Peavy in the fourth inning when Paul Lo Duca Paul Anthony Lo Duca (born April 12, 1972 in Brooklyn, New York) is a catcher in Major League Baseball who plays for the New York Mets. Previously, Lo Duca played for the Los Angeles Dodgers (1998-2004) and Florida Marlins (2004-2005). and Shawn Green led off with singles, but Brian Jordan lined to shortstop and Lo Duca was doubled off second. Eric Karros struck out to end the inning. Peavy was in trouble again in the fifth inning when Beltre led off with a single, moved to third on Mark Grudzielanek's hit-and-run single to center and scored on Cora's single to center. Grudzielanek then was caught off first base on a pitch to Nomo, but an out-of-position Klesko botched botch tr.v. botched, botch·ing, botch·es 1. To ruin through clumsiness. 2. To make or perform clumsily; bungle. 3. To repair or mend clumsily. n. 1. the rundown by dropping the ball. Nomo moved the runners over with a bunt and Grissom, who replaced Roberts, grounded to second to score Grudzielanek and tie it 3-3. CAPTION(S): 2 photos, box Photo: (1 -- color) Hideo Nomo retired 17 San Diego batters in a row at one point to win his seventh in a row and career-best 16th game of the year. (2) Dave Roberts led off the game with his third home run of the season but strained his oblique in the process. Bob Grieser/Associated Press Box: STANDINGS |
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