Dodgers Are the Reel Deal

Perhaps the Dodgers can win the National League West without defeating the San Francisco Giants this season.

They definitely seem determined to try.

The Dodgers remained on track Saturday night with a 9-3 loss to the Giants before another disappointed crowd of 50,918 at Dodger Stadium.

They dropped their fifth in as many games against the streaking Giants, and now trail the National League West leaders by 8 1/2 games. In Los Angeles franchise history, the Dodgers have never overcome a deficit of more than seven games to win a division or league title.

The Dodgers are already in a huge hole and have 14 games remaining against their Northern California rivals. One way or another, this might get interesting.

“We need to beat them and everyone knows that,” catcher Paul Lo Duca said. “They have our number now, but we can’t let that keep happening. There have been some close games, but [the last two nights] we just got beat. Bottom line.

“I don’t think there’s any psychological effect or anything like that, because we play these guys so many times. We’re going to get our chances. You know it’s going to happen, but we just have to get it together and get it done.”

Once again, that didn’t happen Saturday.

The Giants are off to their best start in San Francisco at 15-2, excelling in every area under new Manager Felipe Alou. Left-hander Damian Moss (3-0) worked seven strong innings and kept Giant starters undefeated at 10-0.

San Francisco broke the game open with a five-run fifth against struggling right-hander Andy Ashby, batting around and extending a 3-2 lead to 8-2.

Ashby (0-3) faced five batters and failed to record an out, giving up four hits, including Rich Aurilia’s two-run, ground-rule double. Andres Galarraga, who entered in the third after J.T. Snow fouled a pitch off his right knee, also contributed a two-run double against reliever Troy Brohawn.

“You can’t blame the pitching staff, because they’ve done the job,” Lo Duca said. “We’ve just got to find ways to score some runs. We’ve just got to get a big hit and break a game open, 10-1. That’s what we need.”

Manager Jim Tracy continues to accentuate the positive, though it’s getting more difficult as the Giants speed from the pack.

After his team was swept in three games at Pacific Bell Park last weekend, Tracy took solace in each loss being by only one run. After Friday’s 5-1 defeat, Tracy said things would have been different if the Dodgers had gotten a few breaks.

But even he couldn’t find much good for the Dodgers in Saturday’s blowout.

“They beat us soundly,” Tracy said. “We’ve been in similar situations before. We’ll figure out a way to get out of this one.”

The Giants, who jumped to a 3-0 lead in the first inning Friday, again applied early pressure against Ashby, taking a 2-0 lead in the second on Neifi Perez’s single after Tracy’s questionable decision.

Barry Bonds walked to start the inning and Jose Cruz Jr. singled. Ashby struck out Benito Santiago and got Snow on a grounder as the runners moved into scoring position. Moss had hit .098 in 41 career at-bats entering this season, and was one for five in 2003. First base was open with two out, but Tracy elected to pitch to Perez, a career .272 hitter who was batting .214 beginning play Saturday.

On a 1-and-2 count, Perez lined a single up the middle to drive in Bonds and Cruz, stirring the first of many loud signs of disapproval from fans.

That’s been the story for the Dodgers, a story much different than what the confident club expected out of spring training.

“You say things in spring training, but you’ve got to deal with what you’ve got at the time,” right fielder Shawn Green said. “ ... It’s a bad start, but it’s not unheard of for good teams to get off to a start like this. A lot of teams that start off slow can get hot. Look at the Angels last year.”