Lowe, Izturis Make Short Work of Seattle

Cesar Izturis is a shortstop making a short stop at third base. And he might make a better shortstop out of the regular shortstop.

The Dodgers ended a five-game losing streak with a 4-2 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Thursday night at Dodger Stadium behind a complete game by Derek Lowe and complete performances by sawed-off switch-hitters Izturis and Rafael Furcal, shortstops by trade playing side-by-side for the first time.

In his first game at third, Izturis had seven assists and a putout while scoring two runs and contributing three of the Dodgers’ 14 hits, all singles. Furcal made outstanding plays in the first and ninth innings while driving in two runs with two hits.

“Like me, he enjoys every game he plays,” Furcal said. “Cesar gave us energy right away.”

The beneficiary was Lowe, who survived early home runs by Yuniesky Betancourt and Raul Ibanez to turn in the Dodgers’ first complete game and give the beleaguered bullpen a breather.

Lowe (6-3) was pitching one day earlier than expected because Brett Tomko fouled a ball off his left foot during batting practice Wednesday. After the eighth inning, Manager Grady Little shook Lowe’s hand in the dugout as if to say his outing was over.

Lowe’s reaction? “I told him, ‘I’m not coming out,’ ” he said.

With one out in the ninth, Little tried again, visiting the mound after Richie Sexson singled. According to catcher Russell Martin, Little said to Lowe, “I’m giving you one more chance,” and Lowe answered, “All right.”

The next two batters, Kenji Johjima and Jeremy Reed, beat the ball into the ground, giving Lowe 16 ground-ball outs and his first complete game since a one-hitter against the Chicago Cubs last August.

“The outing was a shot in the arm for the whole club,” Little said. “He had hunger in his eyes.”

Izturis and Andre Ethier each had three hits, and Furcal, J.D. Drew and Martin had two. Martin’s second hit drove in two runs in the sixth and gave the Dodgers a 3-2 lead.

Izturis scored on that play, and he also looked at home at third. He made the plays on two grounders in the fourth inning, another in the fifth and three in the seventh, including charging a chopper and throwing out pinch-hitter Carl Everett to end the inning.

Furcal’s hits improved his average to .252 and came two days after he stayed up all night watching video of his at-bats with the Atlanta Braves last season.

“I noticed I was dropping my hands, and that causes popups,” he said. “I try to play as hard as I can. I can’t put my head down.”

Furcal compensated for shoulder and finger injuries early in the season by drawing more walks. Lately, he has been impatient at the plate. His walk in the eighth was met by approval from Little.

“Right now he feels better, so he’s trying to make up the hits,” Little said. “We haven’t seen the real Rafael Furcal in L.A. yet, but we have 90 games to go.”

Nobody had seen much of Izturis since he blew out his elbow a year ago. He pinch-hit Tuesday and played a few innings at shortstop Wednesday, making an outstanding play.

Third base was a new experience, though, and he admitted he was nervous. Izturis talked to his brother, Maicer, who has played third base as well as shortstop for the Angels. He talked to Nomar Garciaparra, who converted from shortstop to third base last season, then to first this season.

“They told me I have less time to read the ball but more time to set my feet and throw,” Izturis said. “Mainly, everybody reminded me to relax.”