Dodgers Use Another Power Play

For a team that ranks last in the National League in home runs, the Dodgers seem to be squeezing every ounce of productivity out of the few they can muster.

Nomar Garciaparra’s two-run homer in the sixth inning propelled the Dodgers toward a come-from-behind 4-2 victory over the Florida Marlins on Monday at Dodger Stadium, one night after Russell Martin’s walkoff homer in the 10th inning had resulted in an even more dramatic triumph.

Garciaparra had a run-scoring single in the seventh inning, when the Dodgers tacked on two insurance runs en route to their 16th victory in 17 games -- equaling the 1953 Brooklyn Dodgers for the best 17-game stretch in franchise history. The Dodgers extended their lead in the National League West to a season-high 2 1/2 games over the San Diego Padres.

“The hits came at the right time,” Manager Grady Little said.

Dodgers left fielder Julio Lugo had three hits, and starter Derek Lowe, who for much of the game appeared as if he might come out on the wrong end of a taut pitching duel with Dontrelle Willis, gutted out seven superb innings in which he twice escaped jams created by his infielders.

Lowe faced an especially sticky mess in the seventh inning. With one out and Jeremy Hermida at first base after a single up the middle, third baseman Wilson Betemit double-clutched after fielding Miguel Olivo’s grounder and made a wild throw past second baseman Jeff Kent into right field, putting runners on second and third.

But Lowe (10-8) got Alfredo Amezaga to chop the ball back softly to him for the second out. That brought up Willis, whose third-inning smash to the warning track in center field had gone for a triple and driven in the Marlins’ first run. Lowe won this battle, getting Willis to ground out to first baseman Garciaparra.

“There’s no better feeling for a starting pitcher than to pick up a guy who didn’t make a play he’d like to make,” said Lowe, who escaped a two-on, none-out jam in the sixth after an error by shortstop Rafael Furcal.

Giovanni Carrara surrendered a homer to Olivo during two otherwise effective innings of relief in which he notched his first save, more solid work from a Dodgers bullpen that has posted a 1.66 earned-run average over the last 17 games.

Willis had retired 11 of 12 batters when Lugo hit a single to deep shortstop with one out in the sixth inning. Garciaparra hit Willis’ next pitch, an 85-mph fastball, into the left-field pavilion for his 13th homer.

“He left it up a little bit for me,” Garciaparra said. “I was just trying to make contact and keep the inning alive and lucky for us, it went out.”

Willis (7-10) gave up a one-out walk to Furcal in the seventh and a single to center field to Lugo before Garciaparra flared his run-scoring single to right field. After Kent flied out to deep left field, J.D. Drew drove in Lugo with a single up the middle.

Lowe continued a strong run by Dodgers starters, who have made 14 quality starts of at least six innings and three earned runs or fewer given up during the team’s 16-1 run. Lowe accounted for the Dodgers’ loss during the streak.

“I just really enjoy this time of year,” said Lowe, who is 21-8 with a 3.13 ERA in August. “It doesn’t guarantee success, but this is why you play.”

*

Begin text of infobox

Above average

The Dodgers have never led the National League in batting outright since moving to Los Angeles in 1958 (they shared the league lead with Cincinnati in 1970). The Dodgers lead

the league in the following categories. Note: Statistics are through Monday’s game:

* BATTING AVERAGE .279*

* HITS 1,150

* TRIPLES 40

* ON-BASE PERCENTAGE .351

* -- St. Louis is second at .272.

Source: Dodgers