Quality Is Job Done by Lima

With their rotation weary and the National League West race still undecided, the Dodgers needed some quality “Lima Time.”

So they turned to the flamboyant pitcher Tuesday night in hopes of getting a timely boost, and Lima delivered again in a 6-3 victory over the San Diego Padres in front of 29,704 at Dodger Stadium.

The energetic right-hander eagerly accepted the challenge of providing a quality start for a team that had only had four in its previous 12 games this month, and delivered 6 2/3 strong innings to help the NL West leaders win the second game of a four-game series after dropping the opener to their division rivals.

Lima helped the Dodgers (84-60) maintain a 4 1/2 -game lead over second-place San Francisco in the division, and the offense did its part again.

Steve Finley continued to power the Dodgers’ drive toward the division title, hitting his 34th home run and 11th since joining the team in a July 31 trade with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Jayson Werth also remained hot, hitting his 15th homer and third in as many days as the Dodgers matched the Padres with 11 hits.

San Diego (77-68) dropped three games behind San Francisco in the NL wild-card race.

Lima (13-5) gave up homers to Jay Payton and Ryan Klesko, who hit a solo shot in the fourth after third baseman Adrian Beltre committed his 10th error while trying to make a basket catch in foul territory.

Three Dodger relievers combined to shut out the Padres over the final 2 1/3 innings. Closer Eric Gagne, who gave up a bloop hit in the ninth, nailed down his 41st save in 43 opportunities and the second victory in as many starts for Lima.

“Lima Time” occurred again at the right time for the Dodgers.

“We have talked about the fact that we needed a start where our starter got us deeper in the game, so that we could much more efficiently use our bullpen, and Jose Lima delivered again tonight,” said Manager Jim Tracy, whose team improved to 9-5 against their Southland neighbor.

“He has done it in another of his victories this year, and he has also done it in a couple of games that he pitched extremely well and ended up getting beat.

“He really got stronger as the game went on tonight. His slider tonight was better than I had seen it in quite a while. He did a terrific job.”

Lima tied Kazuhisa Ishii for the team lead in victories after overcoming some early problems. He gave up only two earned runs despite pitching with a stiff right thumb after taking a line drive off of it in the fifth.

The Dodgers turned two double plays behind Lima, who did not issue a walk for the eighth time in 22 starts. The efficient performance was exactly what the Dodgers needed after the rotation had posted a 6.19 earned-run average through the first 12 games of the month.

Lima wanted the job.

“It’s not about me, bro, but I like being in this situation,” said Lima, who has three of the rotation’s five quality starts in September. “Whatever they need from me, whatever I have to do to help this team, that’s what I’m going to do.

“We’re struggling a little bit and they need me to go out there and have a good game? Put it on me, bro. If it’s on me, that’s OK. I know what I have to do. I’m going to go out and do my job.”

A starter finally provided optimism about a group that has raised major concerns recently at Chavez Ravine.

“The season is six months, so you kind of expect [starters] are going to struggle sometimes,” Beltre said. “But you know that one good start can get them back in their groove and get them straight.”

Said Tracy: “You look for things with your pitching at this time of the year. Yes, there are times when there are lulls with certain guys, and then there are other times when guys have been just OK.

“And yet you see something that spurs a lot of hope. He has delivered several times and he did it again tonight.”

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MAGIC NUMBER

Dodgers’ magic number for clinching NL West title.

The magic number is derived by adding one to number of remaining games and subtracting number of games ahead in the loss column from the next team.