The only other pitcher to start 12-1 for the Dodgers since the exodus from Brooklyn was reliever Phil (The Vulture) Regan, who won 14 of his first 15 decisions in 1966. Three others got off to 11-1 starts in L.A. — including Sandy Koufax (1966), Rick Rhoden (1976) and Doug Rau (1977).

Penny, whose only loss was a 9-1 drubbing by the Angels down the freeway in Anaheim on May 18, allowed four runs — three earned — and six hits in 6 1-3 innings while winning his seventh straight decision. It was only the third time in his last 11 starts that the two-time All-Star allowed more than one run.

Jorge Sosa (7-5) gave up six runs and eight hits over four innings in his second start since coming off the disabled list — both losses. The six earned runs tied a season high for the right-hander, who allowed six the last time he faced Penny in a 9-1 loss on June 13 at Los Angeles.

Penny started the Dodgers' comeback with a double in the third inning and scored their first run on a two-out single by Pierre that extended his hitting streak to 14 games, two shy of his career best.

Penny is batting .263 with a 2.42 ERA. The last Dodgers pitcher to have a higher batting average than ERA at the end of a season was Fernando Valenzuela, who hit .250 with a 2.48 ERA as a rookie during the strike-interrupted 1981 campaign.