The Los Angeles Times from Los Angeles, California • Page 36

D4 SPORTS LOSANGELESTIMES THE MATCHUPS2006TEAM2006 VS OPP (R), 4 p.m.2-25.564-4——— New (L), 4 p.m.0-05.273-00-04.06.75 (L), 4 p.m. (R), 5 p.m.4-42.244-62-011.01.64 St. (R), 5 p.m.10-63.2714-90-220.04.50 (R), 6 p.m.7-93.4412-120-015.01.20 San San (R), 7 p.m.9-53.8413-100-16.25.40 KEY: TEAM record in games started by pitcher; VS record versus this opponent, 2006 statistics; Dash-No record. HOME TEAM: Listed second. PITCHERS West Pct.

L10 Stk Home Away Inter DODGERS6356.529—9-1W-538-2525-315-10 San Diego6058.5082½4-6L-128-3232-267-8 Arizona5959.5003½4-6L-230-3129-284-11 Colorado5860.4924½5-5W-131-2727-3311-4 San Francisco5563.4667½3-7W-131-2824-358-7 Central Pct. L10 Stk Home Away Inter St. Louis6255.530—4-6L-333-2329-325-10 Cincinnati6157.5171½6-4W-231-3130-266-9 Houston5761.4835½6-4L-334-2923-327-11 Milwaukee5563.4667½4-6L-234-2421-396-9 Chicago5068.42412½5-5W-225-3125-374-11 Pittsburgh4673.387175-5W-432-2814-453-12 East Pct. L10 Stk Home Away Inter New York7146.607—7-3L-135-2236-246-9 Philadelphia5760.487145-5W-129-3328-275-13 Atlanta5562.470165-5W-225-3130-315-10 Florida5563.46616½4-6L-127-2828-359-9 Washington5167.43220½3-7L-328-2923-387-11 WILD-CARD STANDINGS TeamWLGBTeamWLGB 1. 4.

Colorado58603 2. San Diego605815. Philadelphia57603 1 2 3. Arizona59592 6. Houston57614 Results at DODGERS 4, Florida 2at Pittsburgh 4, Milwaukee 2 Atlanta 10, at Washington 4at Philadelphia 13, New York 0 Chicago 3, at Houston 0at Colorado 4, Arizona 3 San Francisco 1, at San Diego 0Only games scheduled STANDINGS Phillies 13, Mets 0 New YorkABRHBIAvg.

Reyes ss4010.294 Lo Duca c3000.314 DiFlce c1000.000 Beltran cf3010.287 Chavez cf1000.297 CDelgado 1b2000.249 a-JuFranco 1b2000.277 Wright 3b3000.308 Woodward 2b3000.224 Tucker lf3000.231 Milledge rf3020.231 PMartinez p0000.111 Oliver p2000.154 Ring p0000--- b-Ledee 1000.222 RoHernandez p0000--- Totals31040 PhiladelphiaABRHBIAvg. Rollins ss3333.278 Victorino rf5222.265 Utley 2b4122.324 Sandoval 2b1000.176 Howard 1b5110.297 Dellucci lf3211.335 Rowand cf3101.258 Coste c3210.340 Nunez 3b4123.182 Hamels p4000.115 Castro p0000.000 Totals35131212 New a-struck out for Delgado in the 7th. b-struck out for Ring in the 8th. PMartinez (4). Philadelphia 3: Rollins 2, Dellucci 1.

New York 10: Reyes 1, Beltran 1, CDelgado 1, JuFranco 2, Wright 1, Tucker 1, Milledge 1, Oliver 1, Ledee 1. Philadelphia 10: Utley 1, Sandoval 1, Howard 4, Dellucci 1, Nunez 1, Hamels 2. New York 4, Philadelphia 3. Milledge (5), Victorino (13), Utley (34), Nunez (5). Victorino (5), off Oliver; Rollins (18), off Oliver; Dellucci (11), off Oliver.

Rollins 3 (52), Victorino 2 (27), Utley 2 (76), Dellucci (30), Rowand (46), Nunez 3 (12). Rollins (27). Victorino. Runners left in scoring New York 1 (Lo Duca); Philadelphia 1 (Dellucci). Runners moved Reyes.

New York 1 (Reyes and CDelgado). New YorkIPHRERBBSONPERA PMartinez 2 3 87715802.88 1 3 00002292.25 PhiladelphiaIPHRERBBSONPERA Hamels PMartinez (Coste), by PMartinez (Rowand). Lo Duca, Coste. Bill Miller, Eric Cooper, Gerry Davis, Brian Gorman. 2:35.

Tickets 36,888 Pirates 4, Brewers 2 MilwaukeeABRHBIAvg. BClark cf5000.276 Graffanino 2b3020.333 Fielder 1b4010.282 Mench lf4000.265 BHall ss3100.271 CHart rf4120.282 DaBell 3b3000.270 DMiller c2001.253 Bush p2011.174 a-Jenkins 1000.253 Gonzalez p0000.000 BShouse p0000--- Kolb p0000--- c-Cirillo 1010.326 Totals32272 PittsburghABRHBIAvg. Duffy cf4220.214 JWilson ss2000.274 JHernandez ss1010.245 FSanchez 3b3011.345 Nady 1b4001.266 Burnitz rf3111.234 Paulino c4010.311 JBautista lf4000.251 Castillo 2b3121.273 VSantos p2000.097 STorres p0000.250 Grabow p0000.000 b-Davis 1000.000 Capps p0000.000 MGonzalez p0000.000 Totals31484 a-grounded out for Bush in the 6th. b-flied out for Grabow in the 7th. c-singled for Kolb in the 9th.

Fielder (8). Milwaukee 4: Graffanino 1, BHall 1, DaBell 1, DMiller 1. Pittsburgh 1: Burnitz 1. Milwaukee 5: BClark 1, Graffanino 1, Fielder 1, CHart 1, DMiller 1. Pittsburgh 4: FSanchez 1, Burnitz 1, JBautista 2.

Milwaukee 8, Pittsburgh 6. Graffanino (8). Castillo (14), off Bush; Burnitz (16), off Bush. DMiller (36), Bush (5), FSanchez (64), Nady (43), Burnitz (46), Castillo (55). Duffy (9), FSanchez (2).

FSanchez. DMiller. JWilson. Runners left in scoring Milwaukee 6 (BClark 3, Mench, BHall, Jenkins); Pittsburgh 4 (Nady, Burnitz, JBautis- ta 2). Runners moved DaBell, JWilson, FSanchez, Nady.

Milwaukee 1 (Bush, BHall and Fielder); Pittsburgh 1 (Nady). MilwaukeeIPHRERBBSONPERA Bush 2 3 10002394.89 1 3 1000034.91 PittsburghIPHRERBBSONPERA VSantos STorres 18.......................110010254.12 Grabow 8.........................110000103.71 Capps 7..........................100001103.43 MGonzalez 21...................110002182.39 BShouse pitched to 1 batter in the 8th. Inherited BShouse 1-0, Kolb 2-0. by Bush (JWilson). Bush, VSantos.

Laz Diaz, Rick Reed, Chris Guccione, Tim Tschida. 2:33. Tickets 16,279 Braves 10, Nationals 4 AtlantaABRHBIAvg. MGiles 2b5220.269 Renteria ss5000.301 Paronto p0000.000 WFranklin p0000--- CJones 3b5345.339 AJones cf4220.274 McCann c5111.348 Francoeur rf5000.256 LaRoche 1b2110.268 Diaz lf5144.351 James p4000.000 TPena ss1000.063 Totals41101410 WashingtonABRHBIAvg. ASoriano lf4221.291 FLopez ss4011.268 Zimmerman 3b4000.288 DJackson 3b0000.204 NJohnson 1b3010.290 Kearns rf4011.267 Escobar cf4000.323 Harper c4010.286 BCastro 2b4120.250 ROrtiz p0000.091 RWagner p0000.000 a-MarAnderson 1000.269 Hughes p0000--- Schroder p0000--- b-Church 1111.246 Totals33494 a-grounded out for Wagner in the 6th.

b-homered for Schroder in the 9th. McCann (6). Atlanta 4: AJones 1, LaRoche 3. Washington 2: ASoriano 1, NJohnson 1. Atlanta 7: Renteria 1, AJones 1, Francoeur 2, LaRoche 1, James 2.

Washington 7: FLopez 1, Kearns 2, Escobar 3, Harper 1. Atlanta 8, Washington 6. AJones 2 (23), McCann (21), LaRoche (28), ASoriano (30), NJohnson (36). Church (7), off WFranklin; CJones 3 (18), off Hughes, RWagner, ROrtiz; Diaz (5), off ROrtiz. CJones 5 (65), McCann (58), Diaz 4 (24), ASoriano (77), FLopez (39), Kearns (60), Church (22).

ASoriano (29). ROrtiz 2. BCastro. Runners left in scoring Atlanta 3 (James 2, TPena); Washington 4 (FLopez, Escobar 2). Runners moved McCann.

Atlanta 1 (CJones, MGiles and LaRoche). AtlantaIPHRERBBSONPERA James WashingtonIPHRERBBSONPERA ROrtiz 2 3 977341114.88 1 3 111112712.0 Inherited RWagner 2-0. byROrtiz (LaRoche) 2, by James (ASoriano) 1. James. Tony Randazzo, Jim Wolf, Joe West, Ed Rapuano.

2:52. Tickets 21,550 Cubs 3, Astros 0 ChicagoABRHBIAvg. Pierre cf5010.283 NPerez Barrett c4000.326 ARamirez 3b4120.279 JJones rf3000.277 Nevin 1b4133.253 Murton lf4010.294 Cedeno 2b4010.254 Dempster p0000.000 CZambrano p3000.173 a-Izturis ss1000.247 Totals373103 HoustonABRHBIAvg. Taveras cf5010.274 Biggio 2b2000.266 Berkman 1b3000.324 Huff rf2010.250 Ensberg 3b4000.239 Scott lf3020.424 AEverett ss3000.241 Ausmus c2000.227 b-OPalmeiro 1000.220 Oswalt p2000.173 Qualls p0000--- Springer p0000--- c-Lamb 0000.314 Totals27040 a-grounded out for Zambrano in the 9th. b-fouled out for Ausmus in the 9th.

c-walked for Springer in the 9th. Biggio (4). Chicago 1: JJones 1. Houston 8: Biggio 2, Berkman 1, Huff 1, Scott 1, AEverett 1, Ausmus 1, Lamb 1. Chicago 5: Pierre 1, Barrett 1, ARamirez 1, Murton 1, CZambrano 1.

Houston 5: Taveras 2, Berkman 1, Ensberg 2. Chicago 8, Houston 10. Scott 2 (11). Nevin (10), off Oswalt. Nevin 3 (28).

Cedeno (8). Oswalt. Taveras, Ausmus 2. Runners left in scoring Chicago 3 (NPerez, Barrett, Murton); Houston 6 (Taveras 2, Ensberg 3, Oswalt). Runners moved Barrett, Nevin, Izturis, Biggio.

Chicago 3 (NPerez and Nevin), (Cedeno, NPerez and Nevin), (NPerez, Izturis and Nevin). ChicagoIPHRERBBSONPERA CZambrano Dempster 24....................100010113.90 HoustonIPHRERBBSONPERA Oswalt IBB Qualls (JJones) 1. CZambrano (Huff). CZambrano. Mike Reilly, Jeff Kellogg, Jerry Meals, Andy Fletcher.

2:29. Tickets 37,260 DODGERS 4, MARLINS 2 FloridaABRHBIAvg. HaRamirez ss3000.266 Uggla 2b4010.291 MiCabrera 3b4000.337 Jacobs 1b4000.272 Willingham lf4000.268 Hermida rf4020.264 Olivo c4221.289 Amezaga cf3010.277 Willis p3011.111 Messenger p0000.000 Mitre p0000.167 c-Helms 1000.283 Totals34272 DODGERSABRHBIAvg. Furcal ss3100.287 JLugo Garciaparra 1b4123.331 JKent 2b3000.260 JDrew rf2011.278 Betemit 3b4000.278 Carrara p0000--- Martin c2010.300 Repko cf2000.255 a-Saenz 1000.302 Lofton cf1010.313 DLowe p2000.063 b-RMartinez 1000.296 Ethier lf1000.344 Totals31484 a-struck out for Repko in the 6th. b-struck out for Lowe in the 7th.

c-grounded out for Mitre in the 9th. Mitre (1), Furcal (22), JLugo (2), Betemit (9). Florida 2: HaRamirez 1, Amezaga 1. Dodgers 7: Furcal 2, JKent 1, JDrew 2, Martin 2. Florida 5: HaRamirez 3, Jacobs 1, Hermida 1.

Dodgers 10: Furcal 1, Garciaparra 1, JKent 1, Betemit 3, Repko 1, Saenz 1, DLowe 1, RMartinez 1. Florida 7, Dodgers 10. Willis (1). Olivo (13), off Carrara; Garciaparra (13), off Willis. Olivo (43), Willis (6), Garciaparra 3 (62), JDrew (65).

Amezaga (11), Lofton (21). Jacobs, Olivo, JLugo. Runners left in scoring Florida 5 (Uggla, Willis 3, Helms); Dodgers 4 (Betemit, Saenz 2). Runners moved Amezaga, Betemit. Florida 1 (MiCabrera and Jacobs); Dodgers 2 (Furcal, JKent and Garciaparra), (JKent, Furcal and Garciaparra).

FloridaIPHRERBBSONPERA Willis 2 3 744591154.14 1 3 0000144.47 DODGERSIPHRERBBSONPERA DLowe Carrara 1.........................231103302.95 Inherited Messenger 2-0. by Mitre (Furcal) 1, off Willis (Martin) 1. Alfonso Marquez, Tom Hallion, Mike Everitt, James Hoye. 2:35. Tickets 44,749 Rockies 4, Diamondbacks 3 ArizonaABRHBIAvg.

Byrnes cf4123.279 OHudson 2b4000.284 LGonzalez lf3010.284 CJackson 1b4000.278 Tracy 3b4010.278 Quentin rf4000.278 Easley ss4000.222 CSnyder c2110.289 CVargas p2000.079 LVizcaino p0000--- a-Hairston 1110.600 Medders p0000.000 Pena p0000.000 Totals32363 ColoradoABRHBIAvg. Carroll 2b4230.308 Helton 1b5031.293 Atkins 3b5001.305 Holliday lf1010.327 Sullivan cf3010.272 Hawpe rf5011.299 Spilborghs Barmes ss4110.236 Ardoin c3100.194 b-Torrealba c1011.258 Francis p2000.083 Mesa p0000--- c-JSmith 1000.269 Affeldt p0000--- Totals384114 Two outs when winning run scored. a-singled for Vizcaino in the 8th. b-singled for Ardoin in the 8th. c-grounded out for Mesa in the 8th.

Tracy (19), Easley (4). Arizona 1: CSnyder 1. Arizona 5: Byrnes 1, CJackson 1, Tracy 1, Quentin 1, Easley 1. Colorado 9: Atkins 1, Sullivan 1, Hawpe 2, Spilborghs 2, Ardoin 2, Francis 1. Arizona 4, Colorado 11.

Byrnes (29), Helton 2 (27), Barmes (22). Byrnes (19), off Mesa. Byrnes 3 (49), Helton (57), Atkins (81), Hawpe (57), Torrealba (37). Francis. Quentin.

Runners left in scoring Arizona 1 (OHudson); Colorado 6 (Sullivan 3, Hawpe 3). Runners moved Atkins. Colorado 1 (Atkins, Carroll and Helton). ArizonaIPHRERBBSONPERA 1 3 621061065.10 2 3 0000273.50 Medders BS, 1.....................121101103.75 Pena 2 3 31100143.38 ColoradoIPHRERBBSONPERA 1 3 52214993.39 Mesa BS, 7......................... 2 3 11100123.63 Affeldt Inherited LVizcaino 2-0, Mesa 2-2.

by Mesa (LGonzalez), by CVargas (Carroll), by CVargas (Holliday). Greg Gibson, Paul Nauert, Charlie Reliford, Larry Vanover. 2:43. Tickets 21,365 PHILADELPHIA Pedro Martinez felt a twinge in his calf before the gameand suffered the effects during a miserable first inning. The New York Mets could only hope a bad outing was the worst of his problems.

Martinez strained his right calf and departed after giving up six runs Monday night as the host Philadelphia Phillies went on to romp, 13-0. The Mets said the three-time Cy Young winner felt the strain while warming up. Mets Manager Willie Randolph said Martinez left for New York and would be examined today. Randolph wanted to wait until he had test results to decide whether Martinez would make his next start. felt a twinge out there, but he felt like if it got loose, he could go out there and give us what he Randolph said.

Cole Hamels (5-6) pitched eight scoreless innings for the Phillies. The Phillies said after the game that closer Tom Gordon has soreness in his right shoulder and will sit out the rest of the four-game series. From the Associated Press GAME OF THE DAY Martinez Hurts Leg as Mets Are Routed Giants 1, Padres 0 San FranciscoABRHBIAvg. Winn rf4010.268 Vizquel ss4000.318 SFinley cf4000.249 Bonds lf4000.241 Linden lf0000.346 Durham 2b3010.288 Hillenbrand 1b3100.221 Feliz 3b4010.258 Alfonzo c4011.282 Hennessey p0000.316 Kline p0000--- a-Frandsen 0000.210 Stanton p0000.000 Chulk p0000.000 Taschner p0000--- Benitez p0000--- Totals30141 San DiegoABRHBIAvg. DRoberts lf4010.308 Cameron cf4000.264 BGiles rf3000.270 Piazza c1000.290 Bowen c2000.271 AGonzalez 1b4020.302 TWalker 3b2000.276 b-Bellhorn 3b2010.193 KGreene ss3000.252 Barfield 2b4000.283 Hensley p2010.086 Embree p0000.000 c-Johnson 0000.233 Meredith p0000--- d-Blum 1000.237 Totals32050 San San a-walked for Kline in the 7th.

b-singled for Walker in the 7th. c-was hit by pitch for Embree in the 8th. d-struck out for Meredith in the 9th. Stanton (1), AGonzalez (4), TWalker 2 (12). San Francisco 2: Durham 1, Frandsen 1.

San Diego 2: BGiles 1, KGreene 1. San Francisco 3: Winn 1, Durham 1, Hillenbrand 1. San Diego 6: Cameron 1, Bowen 1, KGreene 2, Hensley 1, Blum 1. San Francisco 7, San Diego 9. AGonzalez (27).

Alfonzo (26). Durham (2). Hennessey 2. Alfonzo. Runners left in scoring San Francisco 5 (Winn 3, Viz- quel, Hillenbrand); San Diego 5 (Bowen 2, KGreene, Barfield, Blum).

Runners moved TWalker. San Diego 1 (KGreene, Barfield and AGonzalez). San FranciscoIPHRERBBSONPERA Hennessey 2 3 20013702.71 Kline 14.......................... 1 3 0000064.10 Stanton 13......................120001174.32 Chulk 1........................... 1 3 0000012.89 Taschner 1.......................

2 3 00001619.8 Benitez 14.......................110011242.59 San DiegoIPHRERBBSONPERA Hensley Stanton pitched to 2 batters in the 8th. Inherited Kline 2-0, Chulk 2-0, Taschner 2-0. by Meredith (Hillenbrand), by Stanton (Johnson), by Hennessey (Piazza). Stanton. Paul Schrieber, Doug Eddings, Dana DeMuth, Jim Joyce.

2:48. Tickets 31,774 BOX SCORES NL THE MATCHUPS20062006 VS OPP Sanchez Billingsley (R) 8 vs. Florida, Dodger Stadium, 7. 8 On the air: TV FSN Prime. Radio 980, 1330.

8 Update: Billingsley will be pitching to keep his spot in the starting rotation after repeatedly failing to pitch deep into games and wasting too many two-strike counts. In his last start, Thursday against the Colorado Rockies, the rookie walked six in five innings and did not figure in the decision before the Dodgers pulled out a 4-3 victory. Sanchez has lost his last two decisions after opening the season with fourvictories, although he struggled in only one of the defeats. EN OLCH DODGERS TONIGHT STATISTICS Through Sunday Ethier.345.39128111474 Garciaparra.329.39832512593 Lofton.311.36532822820 Saenz.304.3581589430 Martin.299.3652786478 Martinez.297.3581581210 Hall.290.33331050 Furcal.289.36048474429 Betemit.282.34324813373 Drew.277.37136511642 Loney.271.34670061 Kent.263.36225911481 Repko.260.355963129 Lugo.220.32741052 PITCHERSWLERAIPHSO Saito522.31583677 Carrara012.79191518 Broxton202.82544366 Beimel213.47474618 Penny1353.48145143109 Billingsley333.52615638 Sele743.98849247 Lowe984.0915816493 Maddux10114.2015616290 Baez554.35505329 Hendrickson144.50486024 Tomko864.719210055 Saves: Gagne 1, Saito 13, Broxton 2, Beimel 1, Baez 9 Streak ends Jason Bay, who has a sore right hamstring, did not play. He had not missed a start since Sept.

4, 2004 a streak of 307 games. Hit machine Matt Diaz tied an NL record, last matched by Bip Roberts in 1992, by hitting safely in 10 consecutive at-bats before making an out Monday. Stat of the day Jimmy Rollins hit his 18th homer, the most in a season by a Philadelphia shortstop, breaking the record of Granny Hamner, set in 1952. San Francisco 1, at San Diego 0 Eliezer Alfonzo drove in the only run with a single in the fifth inning and Brad Hennessey combined with five relievers on a five-hitter. The Giants ended a five-game losing streak, winning for the fourth time in 20 games overall.

San Diego lost for the fifth time in seven games and fell 2 1 2 behind the first-place Dodgers in the NL West. San Diego catcher Mike Piazza left in the fifth inning after being hit by a pitch in the right forearm. at Colorado 4, Arizona 3 Brad Hawpe hit a two-out RBI single in the ninth to score Jamey Carroll at Denver. Hawpe was hitless in four at-bats with two strikeouts before hitting a 2-and-1 pitch from Tony Pena up the middle. Chicago 3, at Houston 0 Carlos Zambrano dominated the Astros again and Phil Nevin homered and drove in all three runs for the Cubs.

Astros starter Roy Oswalt was hit in the right wrist by Ronny line drive in the seventh. Oswalt retired two batters to finish the inning, then left the game and was listed as day to day. Zambrano (13-5) has beaten the Astros three times this season. Atlanta 10, at Washington 4 Chipper Jones homered in three straight plate appearances for the Braves and Matt Diaz went four for five with a homer. at Pittsburgh 4, Milwaukee 2 Jeromy Burnitz and Jose Castillo hit solo home runs and the Pirates won their fourth game in a row.

ROUNDUP By Ben Bolch Times Staff Writer So this is what Wilson Betemit can do as an everyday player. Stuck behind Chipper Jones and Rafael Furcal for years in the Atlanta Braves system, Betemit has blossomed given regular playing time with the Dodgers. The third baseman was hitting .264 with four home runs and eight runs batted in since being acquired July 28 from Atlanta for reliever Danys Baez and infielder Willy Aybar Three of homers as a Dodger havetied a score or put the Dodgers ahead. Oh, and one other thing. The Dodgers are 13-0with Betemit in the starting 4-2 win overFlorida at Dodger Stadium.

part of the reason that been able to stem the tide here and get it going again in the right General Manager Ned Colletti said of the versatile infielder, who can also play second base and shortstop. starting to develop into a real good Betemit, whose 13 homers are a career high, said he changed anything in his approach sincearriv- ing from Atlanta. only difference is now I play every he said. is good for me because waited a long time for the opportunity and now I just have to go out there and Betemit had ledNational League rookies with a .305 batting average last season whilegetting only 246 at- bats and said he figured his opportunity to become a regular might have finally arrived during the off-season when Furcal departed for the Dodgers, opening a spot at shortstop. But then the Braves signed Edgar Renteria keeping Betemit relegated to a part-time role.

they brought Renteria to Atlanta, I said, I control the Betemit said. I had to wait, I had to wait. I cannot doany- thing about success with his new team has not surprised Furcal, who said he could spot the talent in his teammate years ago. know that kind of player, the player he is Furcal said. you have the opportunity to play every day and then you get the opportunity, you can show who you Jayson Werth has been sidelined for so long now that Manager Grady Little initially recognize the name.

Asked whether there was an update on the status of the outfielder, who hassat out theseasonbecause of atroublesome left wrist, Little said, Turns out there was an update. Werth underwent surgeryWednes- day at the Mayo Clinic inRochester, to repair a torn wrist ligament that had been diagnosed by a specialist. Werth will wear a cast for six weeks before beginning rehabilitation and is expected to be fully recovered by the start of spring training. Reliever Elmer Dessens recovering from a sprained left ankle, is scheduled to throw an inning or two Wednesday for triple-A Las Vegas before rejoining the Dodgers on Friday when they open a three-game series in San day after his 16-game hitting streak ended, outfielder Andre Ethier was out of the starting lineup. kid needs a said Little, who replaced Ethier with Julio Lugo in left field.

DontrelleWillis I think as good a day as any for DODGERS REPORT Full-Time Work Is Exemplary Manager Grady Little said. Dodgers left fielder Julio Lugo had three hits, and starter Derek Lowe, who for much of the game appeared as if he might come out on the wrong end of a taut pitching duel with Dontrelle Willis, gutted out seven superb innings in which he twice escaped jams created by his infielders. Lowe faced an especially sticky mess in the seventh inning. With one out and Jeremy Hermida at first base after a single up the middle, third baseman Wilson Betemit double- clutched after fielding Miguel grounder and made a wild throw past second baseman Jeff Kent into right field, putting runners on second and third. But Lowe (10-8) got Alfredo Amezaga to chop the ball back softly to him for the second out.

That brought up Willis, whose third-inning smash vilion for his 13th homer. left it up a little bit for Garciaparra said. was just trying to make contact and keep the inning alive and lucky for us, it went Willis (7-10) gave up a one-out walk to Furcal in the seventh and a single to center field to Lugo before Garciaparra flared hisrun-scoring single to right field. After Kent flied out to deep left field, J.D. Drew drove in Lugo with a single up the middle.

Lowe continued a strong run by Dodgers starters, who have made 14 quality starts of at least six innings and three earned runs or fewer given up during the 16-1 run. Lowe accounted for the loss during the streak. just really enjoy this time of said Lowe, who is 21-8 with a 3.13 ERA in August. guarantee success, but this is why you to the warning track in center field had gone for a triple and driven in the firstrun. Lowe won this battle, getting Willis to ground out to first baseman Garciaparra.

no better feeling for a starting pitcher than to pick up a guy who make a play like to said Lowe, who escaped a two-on, none-out jam in the sixth after an error by shortstop Rafael Fur- cal. Giovanni Carrara surrendered a homer to Olivo during two otherwise effective innings of relief in which he notched his first save, more solid work from a Dodgers bullpen that has posted a 1.66 earned-run average over the last 17 games. Willis had retired 11 of 12 batters when Lugo hit a single to deep shortstop with one out in the sixth inning. Garciaparrahit next pitch, an 85-mph fastball, into the left-field pa- Karen Tapia-Andersen Los Angeles Times HOWDY: Nomar Garciaparra, right, is greeted by Julio Lugo after hitting a two-run home run in the sixth inning. Lowe Turns Back the Marlins Dodgers, from Page D1.