Well, Wait ‘Til Next ... Day

Paul Lo Duca sent San Diego reliever Jeremy Fikac’s first pitch of the 10th inning deep into the left-field pavilion Friday night, a home run that thrust the Dodgers to an emotion-filled 1-0 victory over the Padres before a Dodger Stadium crowd of 45,801 and sparked a wild celebration at home plate.

The party didn’t last long.

As soon as the Dodgers reached their clubhouse, San Francisco closer Robb Nen put the finishing touches on the Giants’ 2-1 victory over the Houston Astros, reducing San Francisco’s magic number to clinch the National League wild-card berth to one.

The Dodgers, who have won five of six games--each victory coming in their final at-bat--have to win their final two games against the Padres today and Sunday, and the Giants, who have won six in a row and are 2 1/2 games ahead of the Dodgers, must lose twice to the Astros to merely force a trip to Atlanta for a makeup game against the Braves on Monday.

One more San Francisco victory or one more Dodger loss will eliminate the Dodgers from playoff contention.

“It stunk,” left fielder Brian Jordan said of the emotional U-turn the Dodgers took after the game. “All that joy, and then to come in here and see San Francisco win. Man ... [today] is gonna be a big day.”

If the Dodgers are to live to see Sunday, they’ll need another step-up performance today from pitcher Kevin Beirne and a strong start from Houston rookie Kirk Saarloos, a former Cal State Fullerton standout.

And if the Dodgers manage to avoid elimination today, they will be buoyed by the fact that Astro ace Roy Oswalt will be shooting for his 20th victory Sunday.

“We want to keep putting pressure on the Giants,” Lo Duca said. “We want to make these games meaningful and they are, but it’s frustrating. We’re playing well, and they keep winning. What are you gonna do?”

Lo Duca, Jordan and pitcher Omar Daal did just about everything they could to keep the Dodgers’ slim playoff hopes alive.

Jordan made a leaping catch of Wilbert Nieves’ third-inning drive above the wall in left field, robbing Nieves of a home run, and Daal, rebounding from a four-start funk in which he gave up 17 earned runs and 28 hits in 15 innings, threw eight shutout innings, limiting the Padres to two hits and striking out three.

Daal, finding the rhythm and control that had eluded him since late August, had to be near perfect because San Diego starter Adam Eaton, whose start was moved up when Brett Tomko was scratched for the second consecutive day because of neck pain, was Daal’s equal, giving up three hits over seven shutout innings and striking out eight.

But Daal got better support from his bullpen--closer Eric Gagne (4-1) threw two scoreless innings to gain the victory--and his defense. With runners on first and third and one out in the fourth, Daal made a lunging grab of Ryan Klesko’s smash to the mound and, from his knees, threw to second to start an inning-ending double play.

And Jordan, who has played most of the season with an aching left knee that will require surgery after the season, was somehow able to elevate himself above the wall despite jumping a little too early on Nieves’ drive in the third.

“I had to use my Michael Jordan hang time,” Jordan said. “Adrenaline got me up there. The way these guys were pitching, I knew it would be a close game. That guy Eaton was like Cy Young. What got into him?”

Eaton had a no-hitter until Mark Grudzielanek singled with two out in the fifth inning. The right-hander then escaped the sixth despite Daal’s leadoff double and the seventh despite the Dodgers putting runners on first and second with one out.

The Dodgers also loaded the bases with two out in the eighth, but Eric Karros flied to the warning track in center off reliever Brandon Villafuerte, and they had runners on first and third with two out in the ninth before Marquis Grissom flied to center.

Lo Duca, who hit into a double play, struck out twice and was hit by a pitch in his first four plate appearances, stepped to the plate in the 10th with one thought: If Fikac throws a fastball, pounce on it.

Fikac obliged, and Lo Duca plastered the pitch, sending it about halfway up the pavilion for his 10th homer of the season and another last-gasp victory.

“We keep battling, and it takes a lot of guts to win these games,” Lo Duca said. “I’m proud to be a Dodger right now. We’re getting good pitching, great defense, clutch hits. We want to make the Giants win, make them earn it. Who knows? Strange things happen.”

*

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

*--* No Payoff A look at the Dodgers since they won the World Series in 1988--the last time they won a postseason game: YEAR DIV. FINISH RECORD 1989 4th 77-83 1990 2nd 86-76 1991 2nd 93-69 1992 6th 63-99 1993 4th 81-81 1994 1st 58-56 * No playoffs due to players’ strike 1995 1st 78-66 * Lost to Cincinnati, 3-0, in National League Division Series 1996 2nd 90-72 * Wild card; Lost to Atlanta, 3-0 in National League Division Series 1997 2nd 88-74 1998 3rd 83-79 1999 3rd 77-85 2000 2nd 86-76 2001 3rd 86-76

*--*