Jul 2, 2008 7:58 pm US/Pacific
Kuroda Shines In Dodgers' 4-1 Win Over Astros
HOUSTON (AP) ―
Hiroki Kuroda threw seven shutout innings after coming off the disabled list, and Jeff Kent had a pair of RBI doubles to lead the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 4-0 win over the Houston Astros on Wednesday night.
Kuroda (4-6) allowed five hits with one strikeout, looking strong in his first start since going on the DL on June 18 with tendinitis in his right shoulder.
Andre Ethier hit a solo homer and Blake DeWitt scored on Luis Maza's squeeze bunt for the Dodgers, who've won five of their last six road games.
Carlos Lee homered in the ninth off Cory Wade for Houston's only run. Wade relieved Kuroda in the eighth and retired the other six batters he faced.
Kuroda allowed only a broken-bat single to David Newhan and a walk to Lance Berkman through the first four innings, throwing only 48 pitches.
Newhan and J.R. Towles both singled with one out in the fifth. As pinch-hitter Darin Erstad batted, Kuroda spun and picked off Newhan with a quick throw to Maza, the Dodgers' shortstop.
The out cost Houston a run: Erstad doubled into the left-field corner and Towles stopped at third. Michael Bourn grounded out to end the inning.
Kuroda gave up only a single to Lee in the sixth after that. He threw 83 pitches.
The Dodgers scored all their runs off Runelvys Hernandez (0-2), who was making his second start since replacing Shawn Chacon in the Astros' rotation. Hernandez was recalled from the minors when Chacon was waived after a physical altercation with general manager Ed Wade in the clubhouse June 25.
Kent's RBI double off the left-field scoreboard in the first inning gave the Dodgers a 1-0 lead. His 498th double as a second baseman broke a tie with Roberto Alomar for first all-time at the position.
Matt Kemp led off the third with a triple over Bourn's head in center. Two outs later, Kent doubled again to make it 2-0.
DeWitt led off the fourth with a single to right. He stole second and went for third with Towles' throw sailed into center field. Towles was recalled from Triple-A Round Rock on Tuesday night after regular catcher Humberto Quintero was hit by Maza's bat on a swing and suffered a concussion.
Maza dropped a perfect bunt down the first-base line to score DeWitt for a 3-0 lead. Ethier led off the fifth with a homer high into the upper deck in right, his eighth of the season.
Dave Borkowski, recalled from Triple-A Round Rock before the game, started the sixth in relief of Hernandez. Borkowski gave up no runs on two hits in two solid innings.
Notes:@ Kent has 551 career doubles. ... In the corresponding move for Borkowski's callup, the Astros designated RHP Oscar Villareal for assignment. Villareal gave up a run in one inning of Tuesday's 7-6 loss. ... The Dodgers optioned LHP Clayton Kershaw to Double-A Jacksonville to make room for Kuroda on the roster.
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