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Dodgers go hitless, still defeat Angels

Jun 29, 2008 - 6:28 AM By Jonathan Raber PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- In 28 years in the dugout, Los Angeles Dodgers manager Joe Torre isn't sure he's seen anything like what he witnessed on Saturday.

The Dodgers were held hitless but still managed to manufacture a run on their way to a 1-0 victory over the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in the "Freeway Series" on Saturday.

The Dodgers, who became the first team since 1992 to win a contest without a single hit, struck for the game's lone run in the fifth inning despite not being able to break through against Angels hurlers Jered Weaver (7-8) and Jose Arredondo.

"This is pretty bizarre," Torre said.

It marked just the fifth time since 1901 that a major league team has won without getting a hit. This was the first time that the Dodgers were held hitless at home since 1994.

"One hit, two hits, no hits - as long as we score more runs than the other team, I'm happy," Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp said.

Weaver threw 59 of his 97 pitches for strikes, walking three and striking out six over six innings before being lifted for a pinch hitter. Arredondo completed the hitless contest with two perfect frames.

"It's a little weird (of an) outcome," Weaver said.

Kemp led off the fifth with a cue shot off the top of his bat that spun about 50 feet down the first-base line, then quickly veered off to the left, causing Weaver to miss it with his glove. After initially ruling it a hit, official scorer Don Hartack ruled the play an error.

"It was a tough play," Weaver said. "It had a whole bunch of spin on it. It looked like it was going foul. You don't get to practice those (kind of grounders) too much in spring training."

With Blake DeWitt batting, Kemp stole second and moved to third on the errant throw by catcher Jeff Mathis.

"I knew I had to try to get into scoring position to get something going," Kemp said. "It all worked out in our favor tonight."

DeWitt promptly hit a sacrifice fly to deep right to bring home the runner for the 1-0 lead.

The Angels squandered an opportunity in the sixth to even the score thanks to great defensive play by right fielder Andre Ethier. Erick Aybar led off with a liner to left and was trying to leg out a double, when Ethier fired a bullet to second base to narrowly get Aybar for the out.

In the following inning, Angels manager Mike Scioscia was faced with a difficult decision with the tying run on second base and Weaver's spot in the order due up. The skipper elected to end Weaver's no-hit bid by replacing him with a pinch hitter.

"You're out there to win a game; that's the move you make at the time," Scioscia said. "We had to make a move in that inning, we just couldn't get the hit in that opportunity."

Dodgers starter Chad Billingsley (7-7) was nearly as good, allowing no runs on three hits with three walks and seven strikeouts in seven innings to earn the win. Jonathan Broxton worked a perfect eighth and closer Takashi Saito escaped the ninth to earn his 12th save.

"The pitching on both sides was special," Torre said.

Saito got out of a jam in the ninth with the Angels threatening. Howie Kendrick hit a two-out double and Mike Napoli drew a walk off the Dodgers' closer to put the tying and winning runs on base.

However, Saito got pinch hitter Reggie Willits to strike out on a slider to end the threat.

"We just found a way to win," Billingsley said. "That's what it takes sometimes."