Bullpen Lets Down Dodgers

Matt Herges thought the game had ended when Ben Davis’ bat struck his pitch in the 10th inning, but Marquis Grissom gave Herges another chance.

But he also provided an opportunity for Alex Arias, whose one-out, run-scoring single Friday night provided the winning run in the San Diego Padres’ 5-4 victory over the Dodgers before 29,883 at Qualcomm Stadium.

Arias, who entered the game as a pinch-hitter in the eighth, drove in Davis from second base after Davis doubled to left field against Herges (0-1), but was denied a home run because left fielder Grissom nearly made a sensational catch to keep the ball in play.

Arias’ timely hit capped the Padres’ rally against the Dodger bullpen, ruining the group’s mood.

“I shouldn’t have had an opportunity to face Arias,” Herges said. “I thought it was gone, and Grip [Grissom] brought it back. He gave me second life . . . just awesome.

“This is hard to deal with, especially against a [National League] West division team. We had it won, they battled and came back. [Starter] Chan Ho [Park] battled, Oly [reliever Gregg Olson] pitches great. The way we look at it is if it’s up to the bullpen we’re going to win, but I came up on the wrong end of it tonight.”

Herges wasn’t alone.

The Padres rallied to tie the score, 4-4, in the bottom of the ninth against closer Jeff Shaw on Bubba Trammell’s sacrifice fly. Padre closer Trevor Hoffman (1-1) pitched a scoreless 10th for the victory.

Trammell’s sacrifice fly in the ninth scored Damian Jackson from third.

Shaw, pitching for the third time in as many days, entered in the ninth and struck out pinch-hitter Tony Gywnn. But Gwynn worked a 12-pitch at-bat, fouling off nine pitches, after falling behind 0-and-2.

After the lengthy at-bat, Jackson lined a double off shortstop Alex Cora, and Shaw walked Mark Kotsay. Shaw then balked the runners to second and third.

The Dodgers walked Ryan Klesko intentionally and Trammell, hitting for Donaldo Mendez, lifted a ball to left to provide the tying run. Shaw struck out Mike Darr to end the inning. It was his first blown save of the season.

Summoned in the eighth to preserve a 4-3 Dodger lead, Gregg Olson walked two batters and his pickoff throw to an uncovered second base put the potential tying and go-ahead runs in scoring position.

But the right-hander got the job done, striking out Davis and Arias on check swings to end the inning.

“We’ve been used the last two games, the boys have definitely been used,” Olson said of the bullpen. “It’s tough to continually go out there when you’re tired and do more than you can do.

“Things like this do happen. You just hope someone else can pick up the slack and that’s what I tried to do tonight.”

Dodger starter Chan Ho Park preserved a 3-3 tie in the bottom of the seventh, doing his best work with one out and a runner in scoring position.

Gary Sheffield hit a 437-foot, second-deck homer off Padre starter Woody Williams in the third to stake Park to a 2-0 lead.

Shawn Green provided another timely hit in the eighth.

Sheffield led off with a single against reliever Tom Davey, and Green sent a ball off the left-field wall near the 370-foot sign.

Coach Glenn Hoffman waved Sheffield around third and the relay throw from Padre shortstop Chris Gomez met him at the plate, but Sheffield stepped around catcher Davis’ tag to give the Dodgers a 4-3 lead.

Park showed his mettle in the seventh.

Pinch-hitting for Williams, Dave Magadan led off with a single to right, and pitcher Adam Eaton ran for him.

Jackson moved Eaton into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt, and Park was in trouble.

Or so it seemed.

He struck out Kotsay on a 92-mph fastball and Klesko on an 86-mph slider--his 110th and final pitch.

Park hit two batters, but was resilient when it counted most.

The right-hander worked seven innings, giving up four hits and three runs. He struck out six and walked three.