Nomo Makes One Stand Up

The last time the Dodgers beat pitcher Curt Schilling, they had a catcher named Piazza, a right fielder named Mondesi and a shortstop -- not a closer -- named Gagne, as in Greg Gagne.

It was July 26, 1997, when Schilling, then Philadelphia’s ace, lost a decision to Darren Dreifort in Dodger Stadium. Schilling won his next nine decisions over the Dodgers, a streak that spanned 13 starts and two teams -- the Phillies and Arizona Diamondbacks -- but that six-year reign finally came to an end Sunday.

Behind 7 2/3 shutout innings from Hideo Nomo, second-inning doubles by Jeromy Burnitz and Larry Barnes and some exceptional defense by shortstop Cesar Izturis and catcher Paul Lo Duca, the Dodgers beat the Diamondbacks, 1-0, before 42,067 in Bank One Ballpark.

The Dodgers are still lifeless on offense -- they’ve managed three runs in the last four games and have scored once in the last 31 innings -- but Sunday’s win breathed some hope into them, because it prevented a three-game sweep and pushed them to within 3 1/2 games of Philadelphia in the National League wild-card race.

“We would have been in a deep hole if we didn’t win today,” said Lo Duca, who threw out two of four runners attempting to steal second base, including Craig Counsel to help prevent an eighth-inning rally. “But when it’s all said and done, even though we haven’t played very well, we’re still right there in the wild-card race.”

Nomo has plenty to do with that. The right-hander, who opened the season with an 8-0 shutout of the Diamondbacks on March 31 in Arizona, was dominant again Sunday, giving up four hits, walking five, striking out four and not allowing a runner to reach third base.

Nomo improved to 12-8 and lowered his earned-run average to 2.65 on the season and is 4-1 with an 0.99 ERA in five career starts in Bank One Ballpark. With a little more offensive support, Nomo might be closing in on a 20-win season.

“Nomo has been unbelievable start after start,” Lo Duca said. “I feel bad, because he should have 15, 16 or 17 wins right now.”

With an off day today, Manager Jim Tracy had the luxury of going to closer Eric Gagne in the eighth inning Sunday. Gagne walked No. 3 batter Luis Gonzalez to put runners on first and second but struck out cleanup batter Shea Hillenbrand on three pitches to end the inning.

Izturis ranged so far to his left to field Steve Finley’s leadoff grounder in the ninth that he scooped the ball up in front of second baseman Alex Cora before throwing Finley out at first. Gagne then got Alex Cintron and David Dellucci to ground out for his 35th save this season and 43rd consecutive save dating back to last August.

“This game is huge for us,” Tracy said. “I don’t know what the ramifications would have been had we been swept, but we stayed closer to Arizona [in the NL West] and picked up a game in the wild card.”

The Dodgers had nine hits Sunday, as many as they had in their previous two games combined, but mounted only two legitimate scoring threats against Schilling.

Burnitz opened the second inning with a long double to left-center on a first-pitch fastball.

Jolbert Cabrera, starting in place of third baseman Adrian Beltre, tried to advance Burnitz with a grounder to the right side but instead hit a low liner that second baseman Matt Kata caught.

Barnes, making only his fourth start of the season at first base, slapped another first-pitch Schilling fastball down the line in left for an opposite-field RBI double and a 1-0 lead.

“I was told to try to get him early so you can avoid that split-fingered fastball,” Barnes said of Schilling. “It was a fastball, up and away, and I got just enough of it to get it out there. I was just trying to get wood on it.”

The Diamondbacks didn’t get much wood on Nomo’s pitches, and Nomo, mixing an occasional slider with his fastball and split-fingered fastball, made that run stand up.

“He’s become one of the premier pitchers in the National League,” Tracy said.

“He’s 34, but he’s not leveling off. He’s getting better.”