Ishii Still Not Losing Any in Translation

Dodger pitcher Kazuhisa Ishii sometimes throws in the batting cage or into a screen between innings of games he’s pitching to keep his arm loose. He’ll often pitch out of the stretch with no runners on base because he’s more comfortable from that position. Sometimes he’ll throw twice in the bullpen between starts instead of once.

Ishii’s methods might seem unorthodox, but what worked for the left-hander in Japan has translated well in the U.S.--he remained unbeaten after pitching the Dodgers to a 3-2 victory over the Chicago Cubs before 47,381 in Dodger Stadium on Saturday night.

Despite control problems that led to five walks, Ishii gave up two runs and four hits in seven innings, striking out seven, to improve to 6-0, becoming the first pitcher since division play began in 1969 to begin his major league career as a starter and win his first six games.

Only former Dodger Fernando Valenzuela, who made 10 relief appearances before starting, won more consecutive starts at the beginning of his career, going 8-0 to open the 1981 season.

Giovanni Carrara pitched a perfect eighth for the Dodgers, closer Eric Gagne struck out pinch-hitters Corey Patterson and Roosevelt Brown with a runner on second to end the ninth for his 10th save in 10 opportunities, and leadoff batter Dave Roberts had a career-high four hits, knocked in two runs and score a run.

But as it was in his previous five starts, much of the postgame focus was on Ishii.

“He battles,” Dodger Manager Jim Tracy said of Ishii, who has a 2.95 earned-run average. “One thing is safe to say after seeing him for six games--this guy knows how to make big pitches and get big outs when he needs them.”

Never was that more apparent than in the fifth inning, when Sammy Sosa, who hit his major league-leading 13th homer in the first, singled in a run to pull the Cubs within 3-2, and Moises Alou doubled, putting runners on second and third with one out.

But Ishii struck out Fred McGriff, who homered twice Friday night, looking at a slow curve and blew a 94-mph fastball by Alex Gonzalez for strike three to end the inning.

“You look at the scoreboard and he’s throwing 86, 87 mph, and as soon as there are guys on base, wow, he’s up to 93, 94 mph,” catcher Paul Lo Duca said. “He really turns it up a notch. That’s what he did tonight, and he did it against some very good hitters.”

Ishii pitched exclusively from the stretch to begin the sixth--he did the same thing after struggling early in his last start against the Cubs last Sunday--and retired the next six batters before giving way to Carrara to start the eighth.

“He picked up steam as he went along,” Tracy said. “He had some deep counts early in the game, and that kept you on the edge of your seat. His pitch count [114] was up there, but the quality of his pitches improved as the game went on.”

Ishii got some defensive help--right fielder Shawn Green gunned down Gonzalez at the plate with a strong one-hop throw to Lo Duca in the second--and Roberts had a hand in all three of the Dodgers’ runs.

Roberts’ average dipped to .216 on April 21, and he appeared to be slipping into a center-field platoon with Marquis Grissom, but he has been on a roll ever since, batting .500 (13 for 26) with a .618 on-base percentage in his last nine games, pushing his average to .312.

Roberts slapped a single to left to open the first, stole second and scored on Lo Duca’s double. Adrian Beltre doubled to open the second and eventually scored on Roberts’ two-out drag bunt.

The Dodgers made it 3-1 in the fourth when Eric Karros and Mark Grudzielanek singled, Karros took third on pitcher Jason Bere’s wild pickoff throw to second, and Roberts flared an RBI single to left.

“He’s gotten better as a leadoff man,” Tracy said. “He’s mixing in walks, bunts for hits, and he’s starting to drive the ball the other way. He definitely changes the entire perspective from the opposing dugout when he’s on base because he gives you so many more chances to score runs. ... He’s the catalyst this club hasn’t seen for the last few years.”