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Dodgers rough up Haren, down Diamondbacks

Apr 24, 2008 - 6:58 AM By John Reger PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- After a perfect start to the season, Dan Haren finally was done in by the Los Angeles Dodgers' two-out hitting.

James Loney and rookie Chin-lung Hu each had two hits and two RBI, sending the Dodgers to an 8-3 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday.

In getting its first win of the season against Arizona, Los Angeles scored all of its runs with two outs spread out over four different innings.

"Our hitters were doing a great job of getting strikes to hit and hitting them," Loney said. "This team, we expect to be good. We just have to keep going. We can't be happy for one night, but keep doing it."

The Dodgers were swept on the road by the Diamondbacks two weeks ago but got a small measure of revenge by being the first team to defeat Haren (3-1), who surrendered six runs - five earned - and nine hits in just 4 2/3 innings.

Dodgers starter Derek Lowe (2-1) picked up his second victory of the season but left after the fifth inning with tightness in his right elbow after allowing one run and three hits.

Lowe was examined by one of the team doctors, who said the injury was not serious, and team officials expect Lowe to make his next scheduled start.

"He wanted to go out there and try it again, but it didn't seem like it was a good idea," Dodgers manager Joe Torre said. "We aren't sure what it was. It looked like he was rolling along without a problem and it got a little tight on him. The trainers and doctors don't think it is anything and we don't think he'll miss his next start."

Lowe said being careful was the prudent thing to do, especially at this time of year.

"If it was later in the year, we would have kept going," Lowe said. "It was a situation where my at-bat came around and (Torre) said, 'Let's take you out of the game and get some treatment,' which we did. It's nothing that is going to allow me to miss starts."

In Los Angeles' last series with Arizona, the Diamondbacks took all three games, outscoring the Dodgers, 23-11, from April 7-9. But the Dodgers had no lack of offense against Haren in this contest, getting to him in the first.

Rafael Furcal, who led off the inning with a single, stole second and third before scoring on a sharp single to left-center by Nomar Garciaparra.

"We had to put pressure on (Haren), and when you get Rafael on base and then he steals twice, it certainly put the pressure on him to pitch well," Loney said. "We got to him early and that was really important."

Russell Martin walked and Loney got the first of his two RBI when he hit a grounder that went just under the glove of first baseman Conor Jackson, scoring Garciaparra.

Loney struck again in the bottom of the third. Andre Ethier reached on an infield single, moved to second on a base hit by Martin and came home on Loney's comebacker that sailed past Haren's head and went into center field for a 3-0 advantage.

The fifth inning sealed the win as the Dodgers staged their third two-out rally. Hu, who was starting in place of Jeff Kent, drove in his first runs of the season with a two-run single off reliever Juan Cruz.

Los Angeles added two more in the eighth, when right fielder Justin Upton misplayed a fly ball by Loney, allowing Andruw Jones and Ethier to score.

Lowe's only mistake was a solo homer by Stephen Drew in the top of the fifth. Four relievers sealed the win, allowing two runs and escaping bases-loaded situations in the seventh and eighth innings.

Takashi Saito recorded the final four outs for his second save of the season.