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Garciaparra, Martin spark four-run eighth as Dodgers win

Apr 28, 2007 - 7:18 AM SAN DIEGO (Ticker) -- Trevor Hoffman hopes he goes another 10 years between consecutive blown saves.

Hoffman, with the help of defensive lapses by his teammates, failed to hold a two-run, ninth-inning lead as the Los Angeles Dodgers rallied to snap a four-game losing streak with a 6-4 victory over the hapless San Diego Padres.

With Hoffman on in the ninth, pinch hitter Marlon Anderson led off with a single. Rafael Furcal then bunted to first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, who looked toward second before being beaten to the first base bag by Furcal.

"Gonzo plays a very aggressive first base," Padres manager Bud Black said. "He looked at second and realized it wasn't going to be there, and with the speed of Furcal, he wasn't able to get back. He hesitated for a moment."

After a sacrifice moved up both runners, Nomar Garciaparra doubled to left-center field, plating two to tie the game. After retiring Jeff Kent, Hoffman intentionally walked Luis Gonzalez to pitch to Russell Martin, who drilled a pitch to deep center field that tipped off the glove of Gold Glover Mike Cameron on the warning track for another two-run double.

"I took (the intentional walk) a little personally," Martin said. "I got psyched up. I was just hoping to get an at-bat in the ninth. We kind of ruined (Hoffman's) day a little bit, I guess."

"We just got lucky," Dodgers manager Grady Little said. "Everyone knows Trevor and what he's capable of doing. We felt fortunate that we were able to get him out of there tonight."

It was the second straight blown save and loss for Hoffman (1-2). He yielded two runs in the ninth against Arizona on Wednesday. The last time he blew consecutive saves in back-to-back appearances was in April 1997.

"The frustrating part is that once I get the blown save, you're in a situation where you want to keep the game tied and give your team a chance to take the lead in the bottom," Hoffman said. "It's two-fold, it's a blown save, but it's also a loss, because I couldn't hold the runners there after the double by Nomar."

Hoffman, who was making his record-tying 802nd appearance for the Padres while celebrating the promotional "Trevor Hoffman Night," last blew consecutive save opportunities in July 2000, but made a non-save appearance in between.

"It just happened in consecutive games," Black said. "There's no need to be alarmed. His stuff is good. I think what's happened is in save situations, in those critical junctures, he's just made two pitches that have been up in the strike zone."

Former Padre Rudy Seanez (1-0) worked a scoreless eighth for the win and closer Takashi Saito yielded a homer to former Dodger Jose Cruz Jr. before logging his seventh save.

Garciaparra went 4-for-4 for Los Angeles and has driven in a run in five straight games.

"It's not so much (beating Hoffman)," Garciaparra said. "Trevor's awesome, and we know he is great. It's moreso, you know, you're down, and you see (Hoffman) coming in. It's easier to put your head down and say this one's over. Instead we kept fighting and you see what happens. That's what I'm most proud of."

Josh Bard, who was activated from the disabled list earlier in the day, had three hits, but the Padres still lost for the fourth time in five games.

"That was a tough game, but over 162, those happen," Black said.