Astros 0 - 1 Dodgers
Final
  for this game

Navarro's HR gives Dodgers 1-0 win over Astros

Jun 20, 2011 - 12:41 AM Los Angeles, CA (Sports Network) - Dioner Navarro collected two of the Dodgers' three hits, including a solo home run in the eighth inning that lifted Los Angeles to a 1-0 win over the Houston Astros.

James Loney had the only other hit for the Dodgers, who snapped a five-game losing streak.

Matt Guerrier (3-3) worked a scoreless eighth to earn the win for Los Angeles.

Chris Johnson smoked two doubles and Jeff Keppinger added the other hit for Houston, which has lost 12 of its past 16 games.

Wilton Lopez (1-3) yielded Navarro's home run to absorb the loss for Houston.

Javy Guerra pitched a perfect ninth to notch his second save of the season.

The Dodgers scored the only run of the game on a mammoth blast to center by Navarro, his second home run of the season.

"I knew he didn't want to walk me, so I was looking for a pitch to hit," Navarro said. "Hiroki [Kuroda] kept us in the game, he got ahead of hitters, and we were on the same page all game."

Houston put runners on first and second in the second inning via a double by Johnson and a walk to Clint Barmes. Both runners advanced after a wild pitch, but the Astros weren't able to capitalize as Carlos Corporan fanned to end the inning.

Johnson led off the seventh with a line-drive double but was stranded there as Dodgers starter Hiroki Kuroda bore down to retire the next three Astros hitters and keep the game scoreless.

Kuroda went seven scoreless innings, giving up three hits while striking out six and walking two. Houston starter Bud Norris pitched six strong innings, yielding only one hit while fanning five and walking one.

"Dioner's home run late in the game was right on time. Hiroki was great, that was his game. Hopefully this is the start of something big," Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said of his team's performance.

Facing Sergio Escalona in the seventh, Andre Ethier worked a lead-off walk and Loney stroked a single to give the Dodgers runners on first and second with one out. Los Angeles was unable to break the deadlock, as Lopez induced an inning-ending 5-4-3 double play from Casey Blake.

Game Notes

Prior to Sunday's game, the Dodgers placed catcher Rob Barajas on the 15-day DL and recalled A.J. Ellis from Triple-A Albuquerque...Astros center fielder Michael Bourn was ejected in the fifth by home-plate umpire Jeff Nelson after arguing a called third strike...The Astros fell to 14-21 on the road this season...The win snaps a six-game home losing streak for Los Angeles.






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