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Penny dominates as Dodgers beat Diamondbacks

Apr 17, 2007 - 5:56 AM PHOENIX (Ticker) -- Brad Penny is stating his case as the best first-half pitcher in baseball.

Penny pitched seven strong innings and Nomar Garciaparra homered as the Los Angeles Dodgers cruised to 5-1 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Penny (3-0), who went 10-2 with a 2.91 ERA before the All-Star break last season, yielded one run and five hits in seven innings to earn his third win in as many starts.

"I was throwing strikes for the most part," Penny said. "I fell behind a little bit more than I would like to but there were a lot of great defensive plays. The major thing for me so far is the pitch count. Last year, especially in the second half, I would have 100 pitches in the fifth. Tonight they were hitting balls right at people that could have easily found holes. Tonight was just my night."

The burly righthander struggled in the second half in 2006, posting a 6-7 mark with a 6.25 ERA. He has now surrendered just two runs in 20 1/3 innings this season.

"I think what you are seeing from Brad Penny is a guy who is not out there grunting on every pitch and trying to throw 110 (miles per hour)," Dodger manager Grady little said. "You are seeing a guy who is taking his good quality stuff and trying to turn that into pitches he can get people out with.

"He has good command and he is changing speeds. What he is doing right now is pitching, not throwing and getting good results."

Garciaparra turned in his fifth two-hit game in his last six starts, including a solo blast in the fifth inning off Diamondbacks starter Edgar Gonzalez for his first homer of the season.

"He didn't get into a rhythm early and then they put some pressure on him with the running game," Diamondbacks manager Bob Melvin said. "That can get you out of sync having to side-step. They put some pressure on us early and Penny was real good."

The Dodgers got to Gonzalez (1-1) for single runs in the first, second, third and fifth innings, before chasing him from the game when he hit a batter with the bases loaded to force in a run in the seventh.

"I made a couple of mistakes like that pitch to Garciaparra," Gonzalez said. "It was supposed to be out and away and it was inside over the plate. I was also thinking about their runners like (Juan) Pierre and (Rafael) Furcal. I was thinking too much about them."

Pierre went 2-for-4 with a walk, stolen base and scored two runs.

"That was a big night for Juan Pierre," Little said. "That is the player we're are looking for and it looks like he showed up tonight. He is going to be fun to watch and when he and Furcy (Furcal) get it going it is going to be something."

Luis Gonzalez made his return to Chase Field for the first time since signing a free agent contract in the offseason with Los Angeles. The veteran right fielder, who received a standing ovation from the Arizona fans the first time he came to plate, went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts and four left on base.

Luis Gonzalez, a staple of the Arizona franchise for the past eight seasons, became expendable because of the influx of young talent in the outfield, highlighted by Carlos Quentin.

"It was great to be out there," Gonzalez said. "It was a lot of fun to be back. It was nice to get a warm reception from the fans. It is nice to know the fans remember you.

"It is not shown around the ballpark with the pictures, though. I didn't get any hits but I am not really concerned about it. They happened to have my number tonight. I would have loved to have gone 4-for-4 with four RBI but it is not the way it happened."

Quentin came off the disabled list earlier in the day and made his first start of the season in right field, hitting two doubles in four at-bats.

"I felt great. It feels pretty pain free right now and I was able to let it go on some fastballs," Quentin said. "My swing is simple right now. I am seeing the ball pretty well and the key is to see it well when you first come back."