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The Honolulu Advertiser
Updated at 1:50 p.m., Sunday, September 21, 2008

MLB: Giants beat Dodgers 1-0 in 11 innings

By JOHN NADEL
AP Sports Writer

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

San Francisco Giants pitcher Matt Cain delivers against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the first inning today in Los Angeles.

HECTOR MATA, Associated Press

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LOS ANGELES _ Rich Aurilia hit a two-out, RBI single in the 11th inning today, lifting the San Francisco Giants to a 1-0 victory over Los Angeles and trimming the NL West-leading Dodgers' lead over Arizona to 2 1/2 games.

Aaron Rowand started the winning rally off Takashi Saito (4-4) with a one-out single. Pinch hitter Pablo Sandoval grounded into a force play before pitcher Brad Hennessey, running for Sandoval, stole second. Eugenio Velez got an infield hit on a slow roller to short before Aurilia lined a 2-2 pitch into left field.

The loss was just the fifth in 21 games for the Dodgers, who have a magic number of five to win the NL West championship. Any combination of five Los Angeles wins or losses by the Diamondbacks will give the Dodgers their first division title since 2004.

Sergio Romo (3-1) pitched three perfect innings to earn the victory. Brian Wilson worked a 1-2-3 11th for his 40th save in 45 chances. The Giants retired the last 16 Los Angeles batters in order after Blake DeWitt's two-out single in the sixth.

Both starters pitched shutout ball, but weren't involved in the decision.

San Francisco's Matt Cain left after throwing 108 pitches, having allowed five hits in six innings with four walks and four strikeouts. He hasn't won since Aug. 15, going 0-4 with three no-decisions.

Derek Lowe was lifted for a pinch hitter after throwing 120 pitches, having given up five hits in seven innings with three walks — all intentional, and seven strikeouts. He has allowed 42 hits and nine runs in 61 innings in his last nine starts. He's 5-1 with two no-decisions during that time.

Russell Martin and Andre Ethier singled and Manny Ramirez walked to start the Los Angeles first, but Cain pitched out of trouble by retiring James Loney on a broken-bat liner thanks to a leaping catch by shortstop Ivan Ochoa and striking out Casey Blake and Matt Kemp.

The Giants loaded the bases with two outs in the second before Lowe fanned Cain on three pitches.

Both pitchers settled down after their shaky starts. Lowe set down eight straight batters at one stage, and Cain retired 12 of 13.

Ramirez walked with two outs in the third before San Francisco's Nate Schierholtz robbed Loney of a potential RBI double by making a diving catch of his liner near the right field line.

Angel Berroa got an infield hit to open the Los Angeles fifth, and took second on Lowe's sacrifice. After Martin drew a walk, Ethier singled to center, but Rowand's perfect throw nailed Berroa at the plate. Ramirez was intentionally walked to load the bases before left fielder Randy Winn made a sliding catch of Loney's liner to end the inning.

Schierholtz made another diving catch to end the sixth, spearing a liner by Berroa after the single by DeWitt.

Notes: Dodgers manager Joe Torre said he would "probably" be watching Sunday night when the Yankees faced the Orioles in the last game at Yankee Stadium. "I got a couple calls this morning. My two former trainers called me at the same time," Torre said. "They were on their way to the ballpark. They just said they were thinking of me. It's going to be emotional for those guys." Torre managed the Yankees from 1996-2007. "It was a gift for me, those 12 years," he said. ... Wilson became just the third Giants pitcher to reach 40 saves, joining Rod Beck and Robb Nenn, who did it four times. ... Torre said Chad Billingsley, Clayton Kershaw and Greg Maddux would start, in that order, against San Diego in the final three home games of the season, starting Tuesday night. The Dodgers play three games in San Francisco next weekend to complete the regular season. ... Sandoval served as a pinch hitter for the second straight game. He was held out of the lineup because of a sore left quad.