Dodgers Air It Out

It wasn’t the kind of blowout the Dodgers need to release the pressure of a recent string of grueling, close games, but for at least one inning Wednesday night, the Dodgers could breathe without the aid of an oxygen mask.

That luxury came courtesy of right fielder Shawn Green, who turned a one-run lead into a four-run cushion with a solo home run in the seventh inning and a two-out, two-run single in the eighth, catapulting the Dodgers to a 4-0 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates before 31,588 in Dodger Stadium.

Andy Ashby (8-9) gave up five hits in 7 1/3 shutout innings, striking out seven and walking two, to win his first game since June 23, third baseman Adrian Beltre continued his torrid streak with three singles and a run, and closer Eric Gagne recorded the final four outs for his 37th save, as the Dodgers improved to 9-17 since the All-Star break but remained a half-game behind San Francisco in the wild-card race.

“That was great, because that was something we haven’t seen a whole lot of in the last 26 games,� Manager Jim Tracy said of the ninth-inning lead. “With two runs [in the eighth] everyone could sit back and take a deep breath.

“What we saw tonight was the way we won a lot of games in the first half. ... We got brilliant pitching, made no mistakes defensively and got enough offense to win.�

The outcome was still in doubt in the eighth, though. Trailing, 2-0, the Pirates threatened when shortstop Jack Wilson singled with one out. With No. 3 hitter Brian Giles, who bats left-handed, coming up, Tracy pulled Ashby in favor of left-hander Jesse Orosco, who had retired the last nine batters he faced, five on strikeouts.

But Orosco walked Giles, bringing Tracy to the mound again. In came right-hander Paul Quantrill, and out went Aramis Ramirez on a slow roller to short that advanced the runners to second and third.

Tracy then summoned Gagne to face left-handed Armando Rios, who tapped a weak grounder to second to end the inning.

Green, who blasted Brian Meadows’ first pitch of the seventh inning over the wall in center for his 31st home run, stroked a grounder into right field against Joe Beimel to score two runs in the eighth, providing Gagne a soft cushion. Two Pirates reached base, but Gagne retired Jason Kendall on a slow roller to second to end the game.

“Green got that huge home run, and that allowed us to exhale,� Dave Roberts said. “To get those insurance runs, with the way Ashby was throwing, was huge. Green is a big part of our offense, and the numbers bear that out. To have him swinging like he did tonight really helps.�

The Dodgers had scored a total of two runs in Ashby’s last two starts, a loss and a no-decision, “but he never pointed a finger,� Tracy said of Ashby. “There was never a hint that a loss or no-decision came because of no run support, and don’t think his teammates weren’t aware of that. That says a lot about a 12-year veteran who is endeared by his teammates because of his character.�

Ashby suffered three losses and four no-decisions in his previous seven starts, but he has given up only two earned runs in 20 1/3 innings of his last three starts.

“I’m not gonna get too overly confident, but it feels good right now,� Ashby said. “I went through a stretch where I was thinking too much. It was frustrating, but part of the game is going through the ups and the downs. The main thing is to stay positive. Nobody here has any quit in them. We’re all gonna get through this thing together.�

The Dodgers took a 1-0 lead in the fifth when Beltre, who is 20 for 49 (.408) in the last 12 games, singled and scored on Brian Jordan’s double to left.

Third base coach Glenn Hoffman found himself in almost the exact same situation in the fifth Wednesday as he did in the second Tuesday, with Beltre heading toward third and the ball rattling around in the outfield.

Tuesday night, Hoffman held Beltre, and the Dodgers wound up with two runners--Beltre and Mark Grudzielanek, on third. Beltre was tagged out, the rally died, and the Dodgers went on to lose, 3-1. Wednesday night, Hoffman gave Beltre the green light. Beltre beat Wilson’s relay to the plate, and the Dodgers broke the scoreless tie.