Cora Suffers Concussion in Collision

For 12 scary, silent minutes Monday night, nothing else seemed to matter--not an entertaining game in which the Arizona Diamondbacks eventually beat the Dodgers, 6-3, in 12 innings, not a rare blown save by Dodger closer Eric Gagne, and not the threat of a strike this Friday wiping out the rest of the season.

Dodger shortstop Alex Cora was sprawled near the second-base bag in the top of the ninth inning, face-first in the dirt and motionless, after jarring his neck in a violent collision with Arizona shortstop Tony Womack, and the 33,708 fans in Dodger Stadium fell quiet, a queasy feeling rising in their stomachs.

An ambulance entered from center field and Cora, who had three hits, including a two-run home run in the fourth inning, was taken away on a stretcher while Dodger Manager Jim Tracy, catcher Paul Lo Duca and reliever Giovanni Carrara consoled Cora’s wife, Nildamarie, who was visibly shaken in front of the Dodger dugout.

An inning later, the Dodger Stadium video board provided more relief than Gagne and a stable of baseball’s best closers could provide in a season: Cora suffered a concussion and lost consciousness for a moment, but he regained consciousness, was aware of where he was, and could move his feet and hands.

Cora was transported to Good Samaritan Hospital in Los Angeles to undergo more tests, but his injury did not appear as serious as first feared.

Cora had walked to open the ninth, and pinch-hitter Jolbert Cabrera squared and missed a bunt. Cora had such a huge secondary lead he took off for second, diving head-first right into Womack’s right knee and snapping his head backward.

While Womack hopped around in pain, Cora hit the ground and remained there while trainers from both teams rushed onto the field. Cora was taken to a hospital, but Womack stayed in the game, which the Diamondbacks rallied to win in the 12th.

Matt Williams provided the game-winning hit--a bases-loaded RBI single off reliever Guillermo Mota.

Arizona tacked on two more runs on second baseman Mark Grudzielanek’s throwing error and Chad Moeller’s RBI single as the Dodgers’ National League wild-card lead over San Francisco fell to 2 1/2 games.

The Dodgers were one strike away from ending Arizona right-hander Curt Schilling’s five-year stranglehold on them, and Gagne was one strike away from setting a franchise record for saves when the Diamondbacks tied the game in the top of the ninth.

Gagne, who struck out the last two batters in the eighth inning and the first batter in the ninth, gave up a single to Steve Finley before striking out pinch-hitter Mark Grace for the second out.

Pinch-hitter David Dellucci worked the count full, and with Finley running from first on the next pitch, Dellucci roped a double into the left-center field gap. Finley scored easily to make it 3-3, handing Gagne, who has 44 saves, only his fourth blown save of the season.

The Dodgers have not defeated Schilling since July 26, 1997.

But Schilling, who began the game with more victories (21) than walks (20) this season, seemed a notch below his usual self Monday night, matching a season high with three walks while giving up three runs and seven hits in six innings.

Dodger starter Omar Daal, meanwhile, gave up only two runs and five hits in six innings.

Daal blanked the Diamondbacks on two hits through five innings before Luis Gonzalez reached on a two-out bloop single in the sixth and Greg Colbrunn drove a two-run home run to left, his eighth of the season, to pull Arizona within 3-2.

Williams walked, and Daal picked him off first, but first baseman Eric Karros’ throw to second was high and wide, enabling Williams to advance.

Finley then singled sharply to left, and Marquis Grissom charged the ball, fielded it cleanly and delivered a strong throw to the plate.

The ball tailed slightly toward the third-base line, but Lo Duca caught it and shoved his tag into the sliding Williams to end the inning and preserve the lead.