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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Maybe the Los Angeles Dodgers aren't out of
it.
Chan Ho Park pitched eight shutout innings, and Mark
Grudzielanek broke a scoreless tie with an RBI single in the eighth
Tuesday night as the Dodgers blanked the Arizona Diamondbacks 1-0
for their fifth straight victory.
By winning, the Dodgers moved within 5½ games of the New York
Mets in the NL wild card race. The Diamondbacks, who have lost four
in a row, remained five games behind the Mets.
The Dodgers were 8½ games behind the Mets entering Sunday's
action, but have picked up three games in as many days.
"We've still got to win 10 more," Dodgers manager Davey
Johnson said. "We've got to win 'em all and we still need help."
Tom Goodwin singled with two outs in the Dodgers eighth off
Brian Anderson (10-6) and stole his 50th base of the season.
Grudzielanek followed with his third hit of the game, a grounder
into right field.
"Speed's a wonderful thing, clutch hitting, too," Johnson
said.
Grudzielanek said he was just trying to see the ball and hit it
hard.
"The way I've been swinging lately, it's been terrible," he
said. "Anderson kept us off-balance all night, in and out, he
mixed it up. Chan Ho did the same thing. That eighth inning was
remarkable pitching by him."
Park (16-10) blanked the Diamondbacks on six hits while walking
four and striking out eight, and set a career high for victories.
Jeff Shaw pitched the ninth for his 26th save in 33 chances.
Anderson gave up seven hits while walking none and striking out
three in his first complete game of the year.
Jay Bell and Greg Colbrunn singled to put runners at first and
third with one out in the Arizona eighth, but Park fanned Steve
Finley and Matt Williams to escape the jam.
"I was looking for a strikeout," Park said of his approach to
pitching Finley. A curveball on a 3-2 pitch did the job.
"It was luck, because it was a ball," Park said. "That gave
me confidence for Williams."
Williams swung and missed on two curveballs to strike out for
the second time.
Anderson has given up one earned run in four of his last five
starts, but is 0-1 with four no-decisions in those outings.
"It's the story of the year for me," he said of his latest
effort. "I had another streak earlier in the year that was about
the same. So I am numb to it by now. It doesn't bother me one way
or the other."
Diamondbacks manager Buck Showalter said Anderson could be
approaching 20 wins by now with some breaks.
"A broken-bat single to center and a ground ball that snuck
through ended up being the margin that counted," Showalter said.
"Park is a four or five-pitch pitcher, and all of them are
above-average. He's been a good pitcher for a long time. But you've
got to figure out a way to beat the good ones, too."
Anderson retired the first 10 batters before Grudzielanek
singled with one out in the fourth. Shawn Green then grounded into
an inning-ending double play.
Damian Miller walked and Anderson singled with two outs in the
fifth for the first Arizona threat, but Park fanned Tony Womack to
end the inning.
Bruce Aven, playing in place of the injured Gary Sheffield for
the Dodgers, robbed Bell of an extra-base hit with a leaping catch
at the top of the left-field fence in the sixth.
Aven said he was uncertain as to whether Bell's fly would have
been a home run.
"I know it couldn't have been too far out because I don't have
that kind of leaps," he said with a smile. "I'm just glad I
didn't knock it over."
Game notes
Sheffield sat out the game due to stiffness in his lower
back, which also caused him to miss two games over the weekend
before he played Monday night. Sheffield, who has 41 homers, was
diagnosed as having a lumbar strain, and is day-to-day. ... Arizona
outfielder Danny Bautista left the team to be with his wife,
Frandy, who is expected to deliver the couple's third child
Wednesday. ... The Dodgers have hit 204 homers -- four shy of the
franchise record of 208 set in 1953, when the team played in
Brooklyn. ... Aven, who had two hits, was making his first
appearance since Aug. 28. He had been sidelined with a strained
oblique muscle in his right side.
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ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard
Arizona Clubhouse
Los Angeles Clubhouse
Report: Dodgers GM contacts Kennedy about managerial job
RECAPS
Oakland 7
Baltimore 4
Oakland 0
Baltimore 0
(2nd game)
Boston 7
Cleveland 4
Chi. White Sox 6
Detroit 2
Toronto 16
NY Yankees 3
Seattle 5
Tampa Bay 2
Kansas City 5
Anaheim 1
Minnesota 15
Texas 7
Florida 3
Montreal 1
Pittsburgh 12
Philadelphia 8
Atlanta 12
NY Mets 4
Milwaukee 9
Chicago Cubs 8
Houston 8
St. Louis 6
San Diego 7
Colorado 2
Los Angeles 1
Arizona 0
San Francisco 7
Cincinnati 3
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