Aug 26, 2008 7:39 pm US/Pacific
Free-Falling Dodgers Lose To Lowly Washington
WASHINGTON (AP) ―
Here's a tip for a Los Angeles Dodgers team trying to stop a losing streak: Don't hit the ball to Ryan Zimmerman.
The Washington Nationals third baseman was a human suction machine Tuesday night, starting four double plays and just missing a fifth because of a teammate's misplay. His defense sparked a 2-1 victory that extended the Dodgers' skid to a five games, matching their season-high.
The Dodgers have lost seven of eight and are 0-5 midway through a 10-game road trip. They have lost a season-high seven straight road games and have fallen two games below .500 in their faltering pursuit of the Arizona Diamondbacks in the NL West.
The offense, which has scored just 15 runs scored in the last eight games, was the culprit once again. Derek Lowe (10-11) took the loss despite allowing only six hits in an eight-inning complete game.
Lastings Milledge hit his 13th home run and made a diving catch in center field to rob Jeff Kent in the seventh inning for the Nationals, but he and winning pitcher Collin Balester (3-6) were mere subplots to Zimmerman, who was just warming up when he started 5-4-3 double plays in the second and third innings.
In the fifth, with the bases occupied by bottom-of-the-order Dodgers who had reached via two hit batters and a walk, Zimmerman darted left for a sharp grounder hit down the line by leadoff hitter Matt Kemp. In one motion, Zimmerman backhanded the ball, stepped on third and threw home for what should have been a double play.
However, catcher Jesus Flores thought the play at home was a forceout, so he tagged the base instead of the runner, Nomar Garciaparra, who scored the Dodgers' only run. Balester then retired Andre Ethier and Kent to end the threat.
In the next inning, Zimmerman made up for an overeager error with another sharp play. The miscue came with first and second with none out, when he short-hopped a grounder and whipped a throw that pulled second baseman Emilio Bonifacio off the bag.
That left the bases loaded and none out for the second straight inning. This time, Zimmerman rescued his team with an unassisted double play, snagging Garciaparra's line drive and stepping on third just in time to double off Manny Ramirez.
Marco Estrada, who had relieved Balester earlier in the inning, then struck out Lowe to end the inning.
Balester allowed only one run and five hits in five-plus innings. Estrada, Steven Shell, Saul Rivera and Joel Hanrahan shut out the Dodgers the rest of the way, with Hanrahan getting his fifth save despite allowing back-to-back singles with one out in the ninth.
Zimmerman started yet another 5-4-3 double play to end the eighth. His four double plays doubled his career high for one game.
The Nationals, opening a nine-game homestand, won for only the third time in 17 games. They had lost six straight to the Dodgers, including a three-game sweep at Dodger Stadium in July.
Notes
The Nationals placed OF Austin Kearns on the 15-day disabled list with a stress fracture in his left foot. … The Dodgers plan to activate RHP Cory Wade from the disabled list on Wednesday. He has been sidelined with inflammation in his throwing shoulder. … The Dodgers' original lineup did not include Kent because manager Joe Torre was thinking of giving the second baseman a rest, but Kent talked his way back in the game. "He said he was fine," Torre said. "And I said, 'If you are, I am."'
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