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Wednesday, Sep. 27 10:05pm ET
Giants tied for NL's best record | |||||
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GAME LOG
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- In the final analysis, the Los Angeles Dodgers weren't fooling anyone -- not even themselves. Kirk Rueter pitched seven scoreless innings Wednesday night in a 4-0 victory over the Dodgers, who were mathematically eliminated from the NL wild card race before they took the field. The Dodgers were officially eliminated for the fourth consecutive season when the New York Mets beat Atlanta 6-2 in a game that ended 23 minutes before Luke Prokopec made his first pitch of the game to Marvin Benard. "It's been a frustrating year. Any time you're not playing in the postseason, it's a frustrating year," first baseman Eric Karros said. "We had stretches where we played well and other stretches where we didn't. But by the same token, you've got to tip your hat to the Giants. They've had a great season," he said. Giants stars Barry Bonds and Jeff Kent got the night off from manager Dusty Baker to rest up before facing Kevin Brown on Wednesday night. But it didn't matter, because left-hander Rueter was on his game. Rueter (11-9) scattered five hits, struck out two and walked none while combining with Felix Rodriguez and Robb Nen on the shutout. Los Angeles wasted two-out doubles in each of the first two innings against Rueter, who stranded another runner at second in the sixth when he retired Karros on a groundout. "He's the kind of pitcher who eats you up when he's got his command," Dodgers manager Davey Johnson said. "He's a very serviceable left-hander. I liked him the first year I saw him when he was with Montreal. He's the kind of guy who goes out there and doesn't look like he's even breaking a sweat." Rueter finished with a 3.96 ERA, his lowest in three seasons, and was 3-0 in his final six regular-season starts. He is the first Giants lefty to put together four straight seasons with double-digit victory totals since Mike McCormick did it during the team's first four years in San Francisco (1958-61). "I felt satisfied with my season because I've been able to keep my team in the game and giving us a chance to win," Rueter said after the Giants' major league-leading 15th shutout. "I take a lot of pride in what the team record is in the nights that I start (20-10). And with the hitters we've got, we're never out of a game -- as long as you keep it close." Doug Mirabelli hit a three-run double and J.T. Snow homered for the newly-crowned NL West champs, who sent the Dodgers to their second loss in 11 games and their third home shutout loss this season. "We didn't get to the ultimate goal -- which was to make the playoffs," reliever Mike Fetters said. "I mean, we can sit here and blame the brawl in Chicago (and the subsequent suspensions), we can blame not having a fourth or fifth starter, we can blame our defense, our bullpen, every aspect of the game. But we win as a team and lose as a team." The Giants (94-64) are tied with the Braves for the best record in the NL, one game ahead of St. Louis. "The Giants went out and did what they were supposed to do as a team. They went out and took it. Nobody gave it to them," Dodgers left fielder Gary Sheffield said. "You can't assume what the other clubs are going to do, so we've got to bring that attitude over here next year -- that we're going to go out and take it," he said. Making his third major league start, Prokopec (1-1) held the Giants hitless over the first three innings and was aided by double plays in each of the first two. On the first one, Tom Goodwin banged into the fence chasing down Snow's hit-and-run drive to center field and Bill Mueller was caught off first base by shortstop Alex Cora's relay throw. But a streak of 26 consecutive scoreless innings by the Dodgers' staff ended when Snow drove Prokopec's first pitch of the fourth to left-center for his 19th home run and the 220th by the Giants, one shy of the franchise record set in 1947. A walk and singles by Armando Rios and Rich Aurilia loaded the bases, before Mirabelli cleared them with a one-out double down the left-field line to cap the four-run inning. In their previous seven games, the Dodgers' had allowed just five runs -- with four of those games resulting in shutouts. Prokopec allowed four runs and five hits in five innings. Game notesThe crowd of 44,232 left the Dodgers needing at least 33,694 fans in Thursday's home finale to reach the three-million mark in home attendance for a record 15th time, and fifth season in a row. ... If Los Angeles can finish ahead of Arizona, it would mark the 11th time that the Dodgers and Giants finished a regulation season 1-2 in the standings in the 111-year history of the rivalry _ and the seventh time the Giants took first place. | ALSO SEE Baseball Scoreboard San Francisco Clubhouse Los Angeles Clubhouse RECAPS Oakland 9 Anaheim 7
San Francisco 4
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