This 13-Out-of-14 Run Is Better for Dodgers

Just another day atop the wacky National League West: This is the 10th day the Dodgers have awoken to read their name atop the standings, this time with their largest lead of the season.

That lead is 1 1/2 games.

So they’re not running away with anything just yet, but with Julio Lugo driving in the decisive run with a sacrifice fly in their final at-bat, the Dodgers edged the San Francisco Giants, 3-2, on Friday.

The Dodgers have followed their 1-13 stretch with a 13-1 run. The Dodgers could not immediately determine whether a major league club ever has lost 13 of 14, then won 13 of 14.

“We’re not really keeping up with that like you are,” Manager Grady Little said, “but we do like the way things are going right now.”

Jeff Kent homered, Brett Tomko earned the victory in relief against his old team and Jonathan Broxton worked the ninth for the save. Takashi Saito had pitched in the previous three games.

The Dodgers did not write themselves off after losing 13 of 14, Kent suggested, because they play in the NL West.

“It wasn’t a backbreaker for us at all,” Kent said. “When you don’t bury yourself and you’re going bad, it’s easier to play well. You’re not trying to make up for what you did.

“We’re just trying to get there first.”

San Francisco reliever Mike Stanton made three pitches, enough for the Dodgers to tag him with the loss. Stanton, whose job it is to get left-handed hitters out, inherited a 2-2 tie to start the eighth inning.

He faced two left-handed hitters. Drew doubled, and Andre Ethier singled him to third base.

The Giants then summoned right-hander Brian Wilson, and Lugo delivered a sacrifice fly.

This is Barry Bonds’ final trip to Dodger Stadium this season, and who knows about next season? Bonds says he wants to play, the Giants are publicly ambivalent and the handful of other clubs that might consider him wonder whether he’s worth the trouble.

On this night, the evidence was not convincing. The Dodgers faced him twice with men on base -- once with an open base -- and did not walk him intentionally.

He still walked three times, but only once did the Dodgers appear to pitch around him. On the other hand, they never got him out.

Bonds led off the second inning, and Dodgers starter Mark Hendrickson, who went seven innings, walked him on four pitches. In the third, with men on first and second and two out, Hendrickson threw two strikes, then lost him and walked him. In the seventh, with two on and none out, Hendrickson threw a strike, a ball and a second strike before losing him and walking him.

In the fifth, in a situation that would have dictated an intentional walk not so long ago, the Dodgers challenged Bonds. They led, 2-1, but the Giants had a runner on third base and one out.

With first base open, at a time a home run would have put the Giants ahead, catcher Toby Hall settled into a squat. Ball one. Strike one, called. Strike two, foul. Ball two. Then a single to left that drove home the tying run.

Ray Durham, who has thrived since the Giants have used him to protect Bonds, then grounded into a double play. But Durham had three hits on the night, with a single following each walk to Bonds. In the third inning, he drove in the Giants’ first run.

In his last 23 at-bats following a walk to Bonds, Durham has 12 hits -- a .522 batting average.