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Dodgers avoid first 3-game losing streak

Jun 14, 2009 - 5:07 AM By STEPHEN HAWKINS AP Sports Writer

ARLINGTON, Texas(AP) -- A power outage helped put an end to the Texas Rangers' shutout streak, and keep the Los Angeles Dodgers from their first three-game losing skid of the season.

With Rangers starter Scott Feldman out of the game when play resumed after a one-hour, 41-minute delay because of a light failure, Los Angeles immediately scored and went on to a 3-1 victory Saturday night.

"Feldman was on his way to a pretty good game when we got hit with the lights," manager Ron Washington said.

Juan Pierre singled off reliever Eddie Guardado to start the sixth inning when play resumed. The Dodgers leadoff hitter went to third on a stolen base and throwing error and scored on Rafael Furcal's grounder to end Texas' scoreless streak at 24 innings.

"I just wanted to get on base any way, just to get off the snide so everyone could just relax," said Pierre, who finally has enough at-bats to qualify among the league leaders with a .348 batting average.

Matt Kemp added a two-run homer for Los Angeles (41-22), which has the best record in the majors and is the only team that still hasn't lost three in a row.

"If we keep the losing streaks to a minimum, we are going to enjoy October, no question," manager Joe Torre said.

Texas designated hitter Andruw Jones, whose lone season with the Dodgers last year was an expensive bust, snapped an 0-for-17 slump with a tying solo homer off Cory Wade (2-3) in the bottom of the sixth.

"No, not at all," Jones responded when asked if there anything special about homering against the Dodgers. "He made a mistake over the plate."

Kemp, who replaced Jones as the Dodgers' center fielder, connected with two outs in the seventh off Jason Grilli (0-1).

Los Angeles closer Jonathan Broxton, who missed Friday's game while being home in Georgia for the birth of his son, worked the ninth for his 15th save in 17 chances.

Guardado took over for Feldman, who allowed three hits with one strikeout. Dodgers starter Randy Wolf, who struck out four and allowed a pair of two-out singles, was relieved by Wade.

Both starting pitchers initially tried to stay loose by tossing some pitches in the outfield. But it became apparent as the delay dragged on that they wouldn't return to what was then a scoreless game.

"It was pretty frustrating," Feldman said. "I felt I was throwing pretty good and wanted to go back out there."

But Washington, who like Torre agreed with the delay, said once the stoppage reached an hour that Feldman was done.

At the end of the fourth, with the shadows on the field becoming more prominent, umpire chief Charlie Reliford met with both managers to discuss the situation. Play was stopped an inning later.

"It was pretty dark in the outfield and even at the plate," Kemp said. "It had an effect as the game went along and it got darker."

Power company officials had to turn off a transformer at the stadium to replace a breaker on the affected light standard, the one closest to home plate on the first-base side. Those lights hadn't come on before then.

Rangers officials said it was the first such delay at Rangers Ballpark, which opened in 1994.

AL West-leading Texas was coming off consecutive shutout victories at home for the first time in 29 seasons, 6-0 in the series opener against the Dodgers after a 1-0 victory over Toronto on Thursday night.

Jones, who didn't play Friday night, hit .158 with three homers and 14 RBIs in 75 games last season for the Dodgers. The 10-time Gold Glove winner also made the first three trips to the disabled list in his career.

That cross-country move from Atlanta to Hollywood lasted only one year, and the Dodgers released him despite owing him $22 million. Jones went to spring training with Texas on a minor league deal before making the team as a DH and fifth outfielder.

There were some boos from Dodgers fans when Jones batted in the first, but plenty of cheers when his sixth homer tied the game.

NOTES: Jones also homered in a spring training game against Los Angeles. ... Texas C Jarrod Saltalamacchia had two throwing errors on stolen bases. ... The Rangers recognized 2B Ian Kinsler during pregame for his 6-for-6 cycle game on April 15, and fans were given commemorative color lithographs. Kinsler was third in the majors batting .474 after that night, but has dropped to .264 since. ... Dodgers LHP Clayton Kershaw, a Dallas Cowboys fan back home for the first time as a big leaguer, toured the new $1.1 billion Cowboys Stadium that is a block from Rangers Ballpark.