A Grand Night for Dodgers

The Dodgers may soon learn whether Hideo Nomo’s first back-to-back quality starts of the season are a sign of a pitcher regaining his form or one merely capitalizing on a weaker team.

All the Dodgers discovered Tuesday in front of 35,078 at Dodger Stadium was that Nomo could shut down what largely amounted to a triple-A lineup during an 8-2 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Maybe the Diamondbacks learned something too: Never pitch to Robin Ventura with the bases loaded.

In his second start since returning from a two-month layoff caused by rotator cuff inflammation, Nomo pitched six-plus solid innings to end a personal 10-game losing streak. Nomo had allowed three runs in six innings during a 3-1 loss to the Diamondbacks last week.

Nomo gets a tougher test this Sunday, when he faces the St. Louis Cardinals.

Nomo (4-11) showed considerable improvement Tuesday, walking two and striking out six to record his first victory since April 21. He gave up five hits and two runs and retired six of the final eight batters he faced before leaving to a warm ovation in the seventh after walking leadoff hitter Josh Kroeger.

Giovanni Carrara shut the door on the Diamondbacks in the seventh, Yhency Brazoban pitched a scoreless eighth and Wilson Alvarez retired three of the four batters he faced in the ninth.

Shawn Green drove in the go-ahead run in fifth before Ventura hit his 18th career grand slam, a pinch-hit shot in the seventh.

The Dodgers ended a three-game losing streak and increased their lead over the San Francisco Giants to 4 1/2 games in the National League West.

Ventura’s slam was his second in 10 days and tied him with Willie McCovey for third place all time. Only Eddie Murray (19) and Lou Gehrig (23) have more.

“That stuff doesn’t make sense,” Ventura said of being associated with the trio of Hall of Famers. “I’ve been fortunate to hit behind some guys that nobody wants to pitch to -- Frank Thomas, Albert Belle and Mike Piazza.”

The Dodgers had taken a 4-2 lead in the fifth after Steve Finley and Milton Bradley drew consecutive walks to open the inning. Green’s one-out single past second baseman Scott Hairston drove in Finley and moved Bradley to third. Arizona third baseman Chad Tracy attempted to throw Bradley out going home on Jayson Werth’s grounder, but his throw was late.

The Diamondbacks had tied the score at 2-2 in the fifth after a two-base error by Bradley allowed Kroeger to take third on a single to right that rolled past the nonchalant right fielder. Chris Snyder then drove in Kroeger when he singled on Nomo’s next pitch.

Brandon Webb moved Snyder to second base with a sacrifice bunt and Alex Cintron brought Snyder home with a single to center.

The increased velocity on Nomo’s fastball in his last two starts has allowed him to more effectively use his split-fingered fastball as a strikeout pitch. Nomo struck out Webb and Luis Terrero in the third on splitters.

“You have to be encouraged by that,” Dodger Manager Jim Tracy said. “The overall command of his pitches has improved considerably since the layoff.”

Nomo said his approach has been the same all season but that only recently has he been able to achieve acceptable results.

“Compared to when I went on the disabled list, I feel much, much better,” Nomo said through an interpreter.

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Grand Time

Robin Ventura moved into a tie for third for most career grand slams. A look:

*--* PLAYER GS HRs Lou Gehrig 23 493 Eddie Murray 19 504 Willie McCovey 18 521 x-Robin Ventura 18 294 Jimmie Foxx 17 534 Ted Williams 17 521 Hank Aaron 16 755 Dave Kingman 16 442 Babe Ruth 16 714 x-Manny Ramirez 16 385 x-Ken Griffey Jr. 14 501 x-Mike Piazza 14 376 Mark McGwire 14 583 Gil Hodges 14 370

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