Dodgers slam Cincy, pull closer in wildcard race
Sept. 10, 2001
Alex Rodriguez hit a first inning grand slam, and Andrew Zarzour was sharp from the mound for six innings, helping the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 7-3 win over the Reds tonight.
The triumph pulled LA (77-63) to within two games of Cincinnati (79-61) in the wildcard standings. The Dodgers haven't been this close in awhile. A win over the Reds tomorrow in the series finale would draw LA within one game. Cincy won the first game last night, 5-4.
Zarzour, the 20-year-old kid from North Carolina who may just reach 20 wins this season, improved to 16-7. He struck out nine and surrendered six hits and two earned runs. He didn't have a walk. His ERA for the season is 4.20. Zarzour leads the Dodgers' pitching staff in wins from the hill.
Freddy Garcia took the loss for the Reds tonight, falling to 11-6.
After Zarzour struck out three in the top of the first, the Dodgers set the table with base-runners with one out. Albert Pujols popped out, but then A-Rod drilled his 26th homer of the season into deep center field to stake Zarzour out to a 4-0 lead. Cincinnati got two back in the top of the second, but the Big Z was stellar the rest of the way. He fanned three in the third inning, then Jeff Cirillo hit a two-run single to put LA ahead 6-2.
Damien Easley homered in the seventh inning for the Dodgers' seventh run.
Ted Lilly is the scheduled starter for LA tomorrow night.
For more on the game, see tomorrow's print edition of
The LA Times.