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Lowe, Dodgers survive last rally to beat Pirates

Jun 5, 2007 - 5:27 AM PITTSBURGH (Ticker) -- Derek Lowe was dominant for seven innings, but had to sweat out a win.

Lowe carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning and the Dodgers survived a late rally to post a 6-5 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday.

Lowe evoked memories of his no-hitter he threw for Boston in April of 2002 vs. Tampa Bay. Coincidentally, Los Angeles manger Grady Little was his manager.

"Lowe was great," Los Angeles manager Grady Little said. "I thought that was the best stuff I've seen him have since he threw a no-hitter in Boston for me several years ago."

Rafael Furcal had two hits and drove in a pair for the Dodgers, who took three of four from the Pirates.

"I still look at this game, and I still gave up four runs," Lowe said. "It was a shock all of a sudden to go from one extreme to the other so quick. But we won and three out of four, and that's tough to do in any city."

However, Lowe nearly received no-decision as Pittsburgh, who could not muster a hit off him for seven innings, scored five runs in the last two innings.

After Pirates scored three runs in the seventh, Russell Martin hit a home run in the eighth to give Los Angeles a 6-4 lead. As it turned out it was a crucial one.

"It turned out to be a big home run," Martin said. "At the time (we didn't realize it), but it ended up being the winning run so it's always good to get that insurance run."

Lowe (6-5), who remained unbeaten in five starts against Pittsburgh, retired the first 12 hitters he faced before Jason Bay and Xavier Nady reached on errors in the fifth.

The 33-year-old, who got 15 of 28 outs via the groundball, stumbled in the seventh when he lost his no-hitter and shutout.

Pittsburgh scored three runs in the inning thanks in part to an error by Furcal. Lowe walked Chris Duffy to start the frame, and allowed a single to Freddy Sanchez.

Adam LaRoche then hit a double-play ball that Furcal made a throwing error on and Nady followed with a two-run blast - his ninth of the season - that made the score 5-3.

"I think at that point I'm still trying to win the game," Lowe said. "You're not really worried about no-hitters until the ninth inning."

Lowe, who only threw 83 pitches through seven innings, returned to the mound for the eighth but surrendered a home run to Jose Bautista with two outs and was relieved by Joe Beimel, who got Jose Castillo to ground out for the final out of the frame.

Lowe allowed four runs - three earned - and three hits in 7 2/3 innings to improve to 4-0 at PNC Park. He nearly received a no-decision because of a ninth inning rally by Pittsburgh.

Temporary closer Jonathan Broxton struggled, allowing a leadoff single to Freddy Sanchez, and a one-out RBI double to Adam LaRoche, before closing out the game for his first save of the season. He walked Nady, before getting a fielder's choice from pinch hitter Ryan Doumit and got Jack Wilson to ground out to second to end it.

"He probably was trying to over-throw a little bit there," Little said. "But he got through it. He's got the stuff. The eighth inning and ninth inning are different."

Broxton was filling in for closer Takashi Saito, who left Sunday's game with tightness in his left hamstring.

Pittsburgh manager was not happy with the result but he could not complain with the effort.

"To our guys credit, that was a hell of an effort considering we were trailing 5-0 and did not get a hit until the seventh inning," Pittsburgh manager Jim Tracy said. "And to be in the position in the ninth inning to win the game, you have to tip your cap to them. We just came up short once again."

Pittsburgh starter Paul Maholm (2-8) retired 10 in a row after allowing a first inning RBI double to Jeff Kent. The lefthander was let down by his defense when the Dodgers took a 2-0 lead in the sixth.

Leading 3-0, Furcal extended the lead and knocked Maholm out of the game with a two-out, two-run double off the glove of a diving Duffy in center field.

Maholm allowed five runs - four earned and eight hits in 6 2/3 innings for the Pirates, who have lost five of six.