Lo Duca Is the Star of Dodger Victory

Paul Lo Duca wasn’t even on the National League All-Star ballot this year, but the Dodger catcher made a strong statement Tuesday night that he deserves to be on the squad in Seattle next week.

Lo Duca hit two home runs--one led off the game, the other tied the score in the eighth inning--and had a curtain call in the Dodgers’ come-from-behind, 4-3 win over the San Francisco Giants in front of 36,948 at Dodger Stadium.

It was the Dodgers’ eighth win in a row, their longest since winning eight straight July 1-11, 1997, when Lo Duca was playing at double-A San Antonio and some chap by the name of Piazza was going to All-Star shindigs in a Dodger uniform.

All-Star reserves will be named today and Dodger Manager Jim Tracy believes Lo Duca should be named.

“Without question he’s an all-star,” Tracy said. “I don’t know if, in fact, the final ballots were cast. I would certainly hope they weren’t cast until [today] so that they could get one more look at the performance he gave us [Tuesday].”

Lo Duca admitted that he has been entertaining thoughts of playing in the midsummer classic.

“I’d be stupid to say that I haven’t been thinking about it,” said Lo Duca, who’s batting .344. “I’d be elated if it happened. It’s something you dream about as a kid. If it happens, it happens. But I’d love it to happen.”

To get the win, the Dodgers had to overcome a shaky ninth inning by closer Jeff Shaw, who, nonetheless, picked up his 23rd save.

With two out, Shaw gave up consecutive singles to Calvin Murray and Rich Aurilia, bringing up Barry Bonds, who leads the majors with 39 home runs.

A quick visit to the mound by Tracy was followed by an intentional walk to Bonds, whose homerless streak reached nine games, loading the bases for reigning National League most valuable player Jeff Kent.

“It’s a double-edged sword,” Tracy said. “If it doesn’t work out, I get the hell second-guessed out of myself for putting the go-ahead run at second base. But I just felt very strongly with the matchups of Bonds being seven of 20 against Shaw and four for 21 with Kent against Shaw. I was going to take my chances with Jeff Kent.

“I don’t think Barry Bonds would have been looking to hit a ground ball single up the middle there and normally when he hits the ball well, it travels a while.”

Kent swung at Shaw’s first pitch and popped it up down the first-base line, where a backpedaling Eric Karros nearly collided with second baseman Mark Grudzielanek before catching it to end the game.

The Dodgers scored three runs in the eighth off Giant starter Livan Hernandez (6-11) to take the lead.

Pinch-hitter Tom Goodwin led off the inning by walking before Lo Duca lined a 1-and-0 pitch into the seats for a two-run homer to tie the score at 3-3. It was Lo Duca’s 13th home run and his 42 and 43rd runs batted in.

Two outs later, Shawn Green singled up the middle and, after a wild pitch allowed Green to move to second, Eric Karros drew an intentional walk. Giant Mananger Dusty Baker then pulled Hernandez in favor of reliever Felix Rodriguez.

It didn’t matter.

Two pitches later, Marquis Grissom hit a ground-rule double that bounced off the synthetic warning track and into the left-field pavilion, scoring Green and giving the Dodgers a one-run advantage.

Left-handed reliever Jeff Williams (2-0) picked up the win with three innings of scoreless relief, giving up a double and a walk.

Williams’ Australian countryman and Dodger starter Luke Prokopec did not get a decision and has not won a game since May 26.

Against the Giants, Prokopec gave up three runs and seven hits in five innings. He struck out three and walked three.

In his last four starts, the right-handed rookie is 0-2, despite a 3.13 earned-run average.

But the theme of the night was getting Lo Duca to Seattle to back up the New York Mets’ Mike Piazza, who has an injured toe but was voted the NL’s starting catcher.

“What catcher is doing better than he is?” Green mused. “Thanks to Dookie, we were able to squeeze it out tonight.

“The most surprising thing has been the home runs. Right now, he’s on a pace to hit 30 home runs. Everyone knew he could hit for a high average, at least all the players did. But he’s come up with some big-time ribbies and some big-time home runs.”