Another tough loss for Dodgers
Giants 5, Dodgers 4
A day after Broxton blows a save, Kuo blows one as Giants score two in the ninth to win.
SAN FRANCISCO -- Hong-Chih Kuo was subjected to the same fate endured by Jonathan Broxton the previous night, blowing a one-run lead and walking off to the sight of the San Francisco Giants celebrating on the field.
Kuo gave up two runs in the ninth inning in the Dodgers' 5-4 loss at AT&T Park today, costing his team the one-run lead it took two innings earlier on a two-run double by Manny Ramirez. The Dodgers fell to a game under .500 and 1 1/2 games behind first-place Arizona in the NL West.
Kuo, stepping in as closer for Broxton, who pitched in the three previous games, gave up the winning run on a ball hit by Eugenio Velez that made its way through his legs and bounced off the heel of shortstop Angel Berroa's glove.
Third baseman Casey Blake had a chance to start a game-ending double play with the Dodgers still ahead, 4-3, but failed to handle a sharply hit grounder by Jose Castillo, resulting in the bases being loaded. The Giants tied the score in the next at-bat, a force out by Emmanuel Burriss.
Until Giants starter Matt Cain gave up that double to Ramirez, he was in line to earn his first career over the victory for the Dodgers. Cain, who held the Dodgers to four runs and six hits over seven innings, remained 0-5 against them lifetime.
The game started on a frightening note for Ramirez, who was hit in the helmet by Cain in the first inning when he ducked into a 93 mph fastball headed for his ribs.
Dodgers starter Chad Billingsley gave up three runs and nine hits over six innings in a no-decision.
The Giants went ahead, 1-0, in the first when a double by Randy Winn drove in Dave Roberts.
The Dodgers pulled even in the third, when Andre Ethier tripled to right-center and scored on a groundout by Jeff Kent.
Winn drove in two more runs with a single in the fourth, putting the Giants up, 3-1.
But the Dodgers responded in the fifth, with Matt Kemp tripling and scoring on a single by Ethier.
Today marked the second consecutive game in which the starting outfield consisted of Ramirez in left, Kemp in center and Ethier in right. The manager said that Juan Pierre and Andruw Jones would remain on the bench until he felt he had a reason to change the lineup.
"We're looking to win every game," Torre said. "Right now, it's team first and individuals after that."
Torre said he anticipated that shortstop Nomar Garciaparra would be activated on Tuesday, the first day he is eligible to return from the disabled list.
dylan.hernandez@latimes.com
