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Manny Goes Hitless In Return; Dodgers Win 6-3

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Manny Goes Hitless In Return; Dodgers Win 6-3

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Jul 3, 2009 9:36 pm US/Pacific

Manny Goes Hitless In Return; Dodgers Win 6-3

Manny Ramirez looked like a guy who missed 50 games.

Returning from his suspension for violating baseball's drug policy, the Los Angeles slugger barely hit the ball out of the infield in the Dodgers' 6-3 win over the San Diego Padres on Friday night.

With more than half the crowd at sold-out Petco Park wearing Dodger blue and cheering him on, Ramirez went 0 for 3 with a walk. The farthest he hit the ball was a popup that second baseman David Eckstein caught in shallow center field.

He did show a good eye during his first at-bat, fouling off three pitches before walking. Right-hander Chad Gaudin brushed back Ramirez with the first pitch. Ramirez just smiled.

It was a loud at-bat, with Dodgers fans standing and cheering, and Padres fans trying to drown them out with boos.

"It was great," Ramirez said. "I was kind of nervous at first, but once I stepped to the plate I was fine."

Ramirez popped up to end the sixth, jogged to the dugout to get his glove and cap, then headed for the clubhouse, his night finished.

Ramirez was cheered when he caught Chase Headley's flyball to end the second inning. He took off his cap as he approached the dugout and gave a security guard a playful tap on the head with it.

There didn't appear to be any problems with the crowd. Some fans brought signs, including one in the left-field stands that read "RAMROID," and some fans wore yellow T-shirts that crudely mocked the slugger.

Ramirez's ban was based on evidence he used human chorionic gonadotropin, a fertility drug that's banned by baseball, a person familiar with the suspension told The Associated Press after the suspension was announced on May 7, speaking on condition of anonymity because those details were not released.

HCG is popular among steroid users because it can mitigate the side effects of ending a cycle of the drugs.

Rafael Furcal had a season-high four hits for the Dodgers and Russell Martin drove in two runs.

Hiroki Kuroda and four relievers combined to hold the Padres to four hits. Jonathan Broxton pitched a perfect ninth for his 12th straight save and 20th in 22 chances.

The Dodgers took a 5-0 lead in the first on four hits, two walks and two throwing errors on the same play.

With Ramirez on first and Furcal on second, first baseman Adrian Gonzalez fielded Ethier's grounder and forced Ramirez. Shortstop Everth Cabrera's return throw was wide of Gonzalez and caromed off the stands for an error. Gaudin tracked it down and his throw home was wide of catcher Eliezer Alfonzo, allowing Furcal to score.

James Loney and Martin had RBI singles, and Matt Kemp a two-run double.

Martin added an RBI single in the third.

Kuroda (3-4) allowed three runs and four hits in 5 1-3 innings. Gaudin (4-7) allowed six runs and seven hits in five innings.

San Diego's Scott Hairson hit a solo homer in the fourth, his 10th. Gonzalez hit a two-run double in the sixth.

NOTES: San Diego RHP Cha Seung Baek threw 39 pitches in a simulated game Friday afternoon. He's on the 60-day disabled list with a strained right forearm. ... Furcal had been 4 for 25 in his previous eight games, including six starts.

AP Baseball Writer Ronald Blum in New York contributed to this report.

(© 2010 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)