Catchers Get the Credit

Starting pitching and mostly outstanding relief work have enabled the Dodgers to begin tonight’s six-game trip to Pittsburgh and Chicago only 11/2 games behind first-place San Francisco in the National League West.

The Dodgers’ 3.18 earned-run average ranks fifth in the National League, and Dodger starters have given up two earned runs or fewer in 13 of the last 16 games.

Much of the credit, Dodger pitchers say, goes to catchers Paul Lo Duca and Chad Kreuter.

Kreuter, in his 14th major league season, is a known quantity as a backup.

Lo Duca, in his second season as the starter, has progressed behind the plate.

“Having been through the league once last year, I know the hitters better,” Lo Duca said. “It’s a challenge, with some new pitchers on our staff, but they have made it easy by throwing so well and communicating with me.”

Lo Duca, 30, spent all or most of eight seasons in the minor leagues before breaking through last season. He batted .320 with 25 home runs and 90 runs batted in while playing four positions--catcher, first base, left field, right field--and hitting in six spots in the order. The Dodgers rewarded him with a three-year, $7.25-million contract last February.

Lo Duca is batting .292 with eight doubles, a home run and six RBIs.

Pitching coach Jim Colborn said Lo Duca’s long journey through the minor leagues has made him better than most second-year starting catchers.

“A young guy who comes up to the big leagues at 22 or 23, because he has a great arm or is a great hitter, is going to have a lot to learn when it comes to calling a game,” Colborn said. “Lo Duca got a lot of experience catching all kinds of guys in the minors.

“When I pitched in the big leagues, I preferred to throw to the backup catchers because they always knew what was going on. He’s got a backup’s mentality, but he’s a front-line player.”

Japanese left-hander Kazuhisa Ishii, who is 3-0 and will start tonight against the Pirates, said he had no concerns about the transition from the Japanese Central League to the majors because he’d heard the Dodgers had good catchers.

“Lo Duca and I have good timing together,” Ishii said through an interpreter. “Both he and Chad Kreuter have helped me adjust.”

*

Manager Jim Tracy is looking forward to playing outside the division for the first time this season.

The Dodgers play the Pirates and Chicago Cubs on this trip and also have series against the Cincinnati Reds, Atlanta Braves, Florida Marlins, New York Mets, Montreal Expos and Milwaukee Brewers before playing the Arizona Diamondbacks on May 24 in Phoenix. They went 5-4 on their last trip, to San Francisco, San Diego and Colorado. They finished their recent four-game homestand against the Padres, 3-1.

“Every time we get back from a road trip where we’ve won more than we lost, and we finish a homestand where we’ve won more than we’ve lost, you get to the early and mid-part of August and look up and those numbers will add up to something in the neighborhood of 18 to 25 games over .500,” Tracy said. “That’s what you’re striving to do here.”

ON DECK

Opponent--Pittsburgh Pirates, three games.

Site--PNC Park, Pittsburgh.

Tonight--4 PDT.

TV--None.

Radio--KXTA (1150), KWKW (1330).

Records--Dodgers 11-8, Pirates 12-5.

Record vs. Pirates--(2001) 7-2.

TONIGHT

DODGERS’ KAZUHISA ISHII

(3-0, 1.53 ERA)

vs.

PIRATES’ JIMMY ANDERSON

(2-1, 2.61 ERA)

Update--After playing 19 games against National League West opponents, the Dodgers start a 28-game stretch outside their division. Ishii was not as dominant in his last start against the Colorado Rockies as he had been in his first two outings against the Rockies and San Diego, but he remained unbeaten with a good performance at Coors Field. The surprising Pirates, who lost 100 games last season, are coming off a three-game sweep of the Philadelphia Phillies, the first time that has happened since 1992.

Wednesday, 4 p.m.--Omar Daal (2-0, 1.23) vs. Dave Williams (2-1, 2.65).

Thursday, 9:30 a.m.--Hideo Nomo (2-2, 2.55) vs. Josh Fogg (2-0, 1.89).