Dodgers Get Snake-Bit in the 15th

The Dodgers managed three hits in 15 innings Friday night. Three measly hits in a game that lasted so long they sang “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” twice in Bank One Ballpark, and Arizona Manager Bob Brenly had to use a pitcher to pinch-hit in the 14th inning because he was out of position players.

Three hits usually isn’t enough to get the job done in nine innings, and it wasn’t in extra innings, as Shea Hillenbrand stroked a run-scoring single off reliever Paul Quantrill with two outs in the bottom of the 15th to lift the Diamondbacks to a 2-1 victory before a crowd of 41,382.

David Dellucci opened the 15th with a single and took second on Matt Kata’s bunt. Alex Cintron grounded to second, advancing Dellucci to third, and the Dodgers intentionally walked Luis Gonzalez. Hillenbrand, hitless in six plate appearances, lined his game-winner to left, as Arizona ended a six-game losing streak.

The Dodgers had a chance to go ahead in the top of the 15th, but their rally died when Jeromy Burnitz, whose second-inning home run off Diamondback starter Randy Johnson accounted for the Dodgers’ only run, tried to bunt for a hit and failed, as the Dodgers dropped the first game of a crucial nine-game trip through Arizona, Philadelphia and Atlanta..

Between Johnson and a string of five relievers -- Eddie Oropesa, Jose Valverde, Matt Mantei, Oscar Villarreal and Stephen Randolph -- the Diamondbacks retired 22 Dodgers in a row from the eighth through 15th inning.

But with one out in the top of the 15th, Randolph, who came on as a pinch-hitter in the bottom of the 14th, walked Shawn Green and Paul Lo Duca, each on four pitches.

Alex Cora, who entered in the 14th, grounded to third, the runners advancing, and Burnitz came up with a chance to put the Dodgers ahead. With the left side of the infield back, Burnitz tried to drop a bunt down the third-base line, but he tapped it too close to the mound, and Randolph fielded the ball and threw Burnitz out at first.

The importance of the game was reflected in Dodger Manager Jim Tracy’s extreme measure in the 11th, when he went to closer Eric Gagne to face the top of the Arizona order. Gagne gave up a two-out double to Gonzalez, who took third on a wild pitch, before retiring Hillenbrand on a grounder to second to end the inning.

Tracy summoned Gagne in hopes of giving the heart of his order a chance to bat in the top of the 12th, and Green nearly broke the tie when, given the green light on a 3-and-0 pitch from Mantei, flied to the wall in center. Lo Duca then grounded out to end the inning.

Wasted was a strong start by Dodger left-hander Odalis Perez, who gave up one run and five hits, including Kata’s fourth-inning homer, in eight innings, striking out seven.

Johnson, in only his second start since a 12-week stint on the disabled list because of right knee surgery, was every bit as dominant, limiting the Dodgers to one run and three hits, including Burnitz’s solo homer in the second, in eight innings and striking out six.

With the score tied, 1-1, in the bottom of the fifth, Arizona second baseman Junior Spivey led off with a triple to center. The Dodgers brought their infield in, and Perez retired Danny Bautista on a chopper to the mound, with Spivey holding at third. Chad Moeller ripped a 2-0 pitch toward the shortstop hole, where Cesar Izturis made a nice backhand grab and threw to the plate to nail Spivey for the second out. Perez struck out Johnson to end the inning.

Perez ran into trouble again in the sixth when Kata opened with a walk, Cintron reached on an infield single and Gonzalez followed with a high one-hopper up the middle.

Dodger second baseman Jolbert Cabrera ranged to his right but lost control of the ball after trying a backhand grab. Lucky for him, he kicked the ball right to the base, where Izturis scooped it up and threw to first for the double play.

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The Races

*--* NL WEST TEAM W L GB San Francisco 66 37 -- Arizona 54 48 11 1/2 Dodgers 53 49 12 1/2 Colorado 53 53 14 1/2 NL WILD CARD TEAM W L GB Philadelphia 57 44 -- Arizona 54 48 3 1/2 Florida 54 49 4 Dodgers 53 49 4 1/2

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