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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Thursday, July 2, 2009

Dodgers tip Rockies; Manny set to return


Associated Press

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Pinch-hitter Rafael Furcal watches his single, which scored Russell Martin in the bottom of the eighth, as Los Angeles beat Colorado, 1-0.

JAE C. HONG | Associated Press

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LOS ANGELES — Manny Ramirez's suspension didn't slow down the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Dodgers played their 50th and final game without Ramirez, beating the Colorado Rockies, 1-0, yesterday on pinch-hitter Rafael Furcal's RBI single in the eighth inning. During Ramirez's absence, the Dodgers went 29-21.

Ramirez was suspended for violating baseball's drug policy on May 7. He is eligible to return for tomorrow night's game at San Diego.

"It's not until you lose somebody like Manny that you realize that there's no safety net out there," Dodgers manager Joe Torre said. "I continue to talk about how fortunate we've been with the number of close games we've won."

The Dodgers' sputtering offense has scored eight runs over the last five games.

"This ballclub feels pretty good about themselves," Torre said. "I mean, they're at a frustrated stage right now because we haven't scored runs and they're fighting it a little bit. But they've played hard. As a team, we've pretty much gotten a lot out of what we have.

Center fielder Matt Kemp is excited for Ramirez's return: "We get a great hitter back, somebody that can help us drive in some runs and get some things going."

Torre doesn't expect Ramirez to make an immediate impact after just five minor league rehab games.

"It's still going to take him some time to settle in, but I think it'll help everybody else, too," Torre said.

Juan Pierre, who has started every game in left field during Ramirez's absence, will return to being a part-time player despite hitting .318 with 21 RBIs, 31 runs scored, 15 walks and 21 stolen bases.

BRAVES 11, PHILLIES 1:

Jair Jurrjens (6-6) allowed his first hit with two outs in the seventh inning and Matt Diaz and Diory Hernandez hit homers in a six-run fifth as host Atlanta routed Philadelphia.

CUBS 4, PIRATES 1:

Derrek Lee and Kosuke Fukudome homered, and Randy Wells (3-3) gave up a run on six hits in seven innings to lead visiting Chicago over Pittsburgh.

REDS 1, DIAMONDBACKS 0:

Johnny Cueto (8-4) gave up one hit in six innings, three relievers completed a two-hitter and Joey Votto singled home Chris Dickerson in the bottom of the sixth to lift Cincinnati.

METS 1, BREWERS 0:

Mike Pelfrey (6-3) gave up six hits and two walks in 7 2/3 innings and Ryan Church singled home Luis Castillo in the sixth as visiting New York ended a five-game losing streak.

MARLINS 5, NATIONALS 3:

Hanley Ramirez extended his RBI streak to 10 games, and pinch-hitter Wes Helms beat out a potential double-play ball to help put Florida ahead in the bottom of the eighth inning.

CARDINALS 2, GIANTS 1:

Rookie Colby Rasmus led off the bottom of the 10th inning with a homer after rookie third baseman Pablo Sandoval dropped his foul pop fly earlier in the at-bat, lifting St. Louis over San Francisco.

ASTROS 7, PADRES 1:

Brian Moehler (5-4) allowed a run and four hits in six innings and visiting Houston scored six runs in the fourth, including three on third baseman Chase Headley's throwing error, to beat San Diego.

AMERICAN LEAGUE

YANKEES 4, MARINERS 2:

Alex Rodriguez hit his 566th career homer, a two-run shot to break a 2-all tie, and host New York overcame Ken Griffey Jr.'s 621st career shot to beat Seattle for its seventh straight win.

ATHLETICS 5, TIGERS 1:

Jason Giambi and Jack Cust broke out of funks with two-run homers, and Dallas Braden (6-7) gave up a run on five hits in seven innings to end a four-start winless stretch for Oakland.

RED SOX 6, ORIOLES 5:

Rocco Balldelli capped a four-run top of the ninth with a two-run single and Julio Lugo singled in Jacoby Ellsbury in the top of the 11th inning to lift Boston over Baltimore.

BLUE JAYS 5, RAYS 0:

Ricky Romero (6-3) spaced four hits in eight innings, and Rod Barajas, Adam Lind and Scott Rolen each homered as host Toronto ended Tampa Bay's seven-game winning streak.

WHITE SOX 6, INDIANS 2:

Jose Contreras (3-7) allowed two runs and five hits, pitching into the eighth, and improved to 3-2 since being recalled from the minors as visiting Chicago won its fifth straight.

RANGERS 9, ANGELS 7:

Hank Blalock's second homer of the game, a two-run shot with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, moved Texas to one-half game of first-place Los Angeles in the West.

TWINS 5, ROYALS 1:

Joe Mauer went 3 for 3, raising his average to .392, and Glen Perkins (4-4) allowed one run, scattering 10 hits in seven innings as visiting Minnesota beat Kansas City.

NOTES

All-Star Game: Baseball is expanding All-Star rosters yet again. Each league will have 33 players for the July 14 game at St. Louis, with an extra pitcher added to bring the total to 13. The commissioner's office said yesterday the extra spot will be a manager's choice.

Diamondbacks: Arizona ace Brandon Webb will not have surgery on his ailing pitching shoulder. Sidelined since opening day, he will begin a regimen to strengthen the shoulder but isn't expected to throw for several weeks.

Orioles: Baltimore pitcher Koji Uehara will be sidelined roughly two months after an examination of his ailing right elbow revealed a partial tear of the flexor tendon. Uehara was placed on the 15-day disabled list Sunday.

Royals: Shortstop Mike Aviles, Kansas City's player of the year last season, will undergo Tommy John surgery on his right elbow on July 8 and be sidelined for up to 12 months.

Yankees: New York outfielder Xavier Nady will have Tommy John surgery on his right elbow July 8 after re-injuring it during a minor league rehab game.