Meeting Opens Some Doors for Dodgers

Expressing urgency, the Dodgers focused on their dire situation during a 30-minute closed-door meeting before Wednesday night’s game against the St. Louis Cardinals.

They challenged each other to reclaim a season spinning out of control.

What followed was a 6-5 victory before 32,325 at Busch Stadium, which the Dodgers hope was the beginning of something positive for a change.

“We talked about how tough everything has been for us, and it really has,” said setup man Paul Shuey, who struck out Albert Pujols to end the sixth with the bases loaded and the Dodgers leading, 6-4.

“We really are on the brink of where you feel like you’re giving up when you go out there. We laid it all out, and then we went out there and won a ‘dog fight.’ That’s what it was, and with the way it’s going for us, it’s huge.”

The National League’s worst offense had a rare breakout performance after players challenged each other during the meeting to do more and band together. The Dodgers (47-42) produced 11 hits, including David Ross’ fifth home run, and won for only the third time in 16 games.

“We talked about what’s going on and what we need to do,” said third baseman Adrian Beltre, who walked and scored in the fourth and singled in the sixth.

“There are things that we need to do to play the way we know we should, and we know we need to stick together. Right now, that’s the most important thing.”

The Dodgers remained unbeaten (11-0) when scoring at least six runs, and they did most of their damage in a five-run fourth against St. Louis starter Brett Tomko (5-6), taking a 6-1 lead.

The Dodgers sent eight batters to the plate in scoring at least five runs in an inning for only the fourth time this season. The rally included a two-run single from Cesar Izturis, a run-scoring double from Chad Hermansen -- who also made a spectacular diving catch in left field in the fourth on Mike Matheny’s drive down the line -- and a RBI single from Ross.

Then the Dodgers had to hold off the Cardinals (46-44) and their formidable batting order, which beginning play Wednesday had produced the most runs in the National League.

With the Dodgers winning about once a week these days, Manager Jim Tracy handled the bullpen as though it was Game 7 of a playoff series, using Shuey, Paul Quantrill and Tom Martin behind starter Kazuhisa Ishii (8-3) and in front of well-rested closer Eric Gagne.

Gagne walked Pujols with one out in the ninth, but struck out Scott Rolen and got Eduardo Perez to foul out for his 31st save. Talk about a sense of relief in the clubhouse.

“It feels good to watch this team, in the midst of some serious adversity over the course of the last couple of weeks, to come in here and compete against the league’s best offensive club,” Tracy said of the Cardinals, who have dropped four in a row.

“Ishii got us to where we needed to get. Our bullpen, as it has done all year from day one, continued to get the outs that were necessary as we matched ‘em up.”

Ishii managed to overcome his usual command problems, winning despite five walks, a wild pitch and a balk in 5 1/3 innings. The Cardinals scored twice in the sixth after Shuey relieved Ishii, cutting the lead to 6-4, and Rolen hit his 17th homer leading off the seventh against Shuey.