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Saenz walk-off hit sends Dodgers to victory

May 2, 2007 - 6:39 AM LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- The last thing the Los Angeles Dodgers needed was an extra-inning game. Olmedo Saenz made sure that was not going to happen.

Saenz hit a walk-off single and Rafael Furcal scored the winning run as the Dodgers ended a five-game home losing skid and defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks, 2-1, on Tuesday in the second game of three-game series.

Los Angeles, which was just two days removed from a 17-inning marathon win over the Padres, desperately wanted to avoid another extra-inning affair against one of their division rivals. Saenz, who was pinch-hitting for reliever Takashi Saito, grounded a fastball by Brandon Lyon (2-1) past a drawn-in infield to plate Furcal.

"I didn't want to play (seventeen) innings again like a couple days ago," Saenz said. "I love to be in situations like that with the game on the line. I went up to the plate and all I wanted to do was to get a hit because our team didn't need another long game."

"I tried to sneak a fastball by him but once I let go of the ball, I knew he was looking dead red," Lyon said. "He's a tough hitter to get out in game situations like that."

Saenz's single was the fifth walk-off hit of his career and his first since 2002, while he was with the Oakland Athletics. As a result, the Dodgers remain unblemished in games in which they are tied or lead after eight innings, improving to 14-0 in such contests.

"I had a good feeling Olmedo would come through because he usually comes up with those big hits," Furcal said. "I was trying to be aggressive at third just in case of a past ball or wild pitch that I could score on."

Saito (1-0) pitched a perfect ninth to get the win and end Arizona's six-game winning streak.

"It was a good streak while it lasted and we were in the game until the end," Diamondbacks manager Bob Melvin said. "We gave ourselves a good chance to win the game but we just couldn't get the game to extra frames."

Eric Byrnes had two hits and Orlando Hudson had an RBI single for Arizona, which has dropped three of the four meetings against Los Angeles this season. With a hit in this contest, Hudson has reached base in all 28 games.

Dodger starter Brad Penny, who was just 6-7 with a 6.25 ERA in the second half of last season, registered his third straight no-decision despite the fact he has yet to allow more than three runs in any start this season. The righthander tossed six scoreless innings, allowing three hits and four walks and four strikeouts.

"Right now, he isn't overpowering anyone," Los Angeles manager Grady Little said. "He is just doing some serious pitching."

Arizona third baseman Chad Tracy left the game in the bottom of the third inning due to an apparent upper back injury.

"It was a precautionary thing to take him out, but we will see how he is tomorrow when he gets to the park," Melvin said.