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Garciaparra, Ramirez homer as Dodgers roll

Sep 25, 2008 - 6:25 AM By John Reger PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- Two former members of the Boston Red Sox are on the verge of helping the ex-New York Yankees' manager lead the Los Angeles Dodgers to the National League West Division title.

Nomar Garciaparra and Manny Ramirez pounded home runs on Wednesday as the Los Angeles Dodgers downed the San Diego Padres, 12-4, to cut their magic number to clinch the West to one.

The victory gave the Dodgers (83-75) a four-game lead over the Arizona Diamondbacks (79-79) and clinched no worse than a tie for the West title. Arizona lost its second consecutive game to St. Louis, 4-2.

"It feels great," Ramirez said. "We still have to come and get the win and we are going against one of the best pitchers in the league (Jake Peavy). We just have to come back and battle and play hard."

With a Dodgers' victory or Diamondbacks' loss, Joe Torre will have led Los Angeles to the division title in his first season as manager.

"We still have a little work to do," Torre said. "Any way it happens as long as it happens."

Trailing, 2-0, in the fourth inning, Garciaparra halved the deficit with his eighth home run of the season and second in two nights. An RBI single by Matt Kemp later in the inning tied the game.

"Everybody is contributing right now," Garciaparra said. "For us to be in the position we are in and doing what we are doing right now with putting that many runs up - that is everybody doing their job. That's what we have to do if we are going to reach our ultimate goal, which is getting to the playoffs."

The Dodgers added a pair in the fifth to take the lead, setting the stage for Ramirez.

The left fielder hit a two-run home run in the sixth to make it 6-3. The blast was his 17th since coming to Los Angeles in July.

"I just got lucky right there," Ramirez said. "I got a good pitch to hit and I drove it and thank God it was gone."

The Dodgers broke open the game with six runs in the eighth and finished with 17 hits.

Clayton Kershaw (5-5) pitched 5 2/3 innings, allowing three runs and six hits with seven strikeouts and two walks.

"The way our team is swinging the bat right now helps," Kershaw said. "I gave them a 2-0 deficit to start the game and they come back and give you two right back. I knew all I had to do was keep them at bay for the rest of the game. It's always nice when you are getting that type of run support."

Mike Ekstrom (0-1) took the loss. Ekstrom relieved starter Shawn Estes with one out in the fourth. The Padres used eight pitchers in the game, including three in the eighth.