Leyritz Comes Alive in Pinch for Dodgers

Jim Leyritz has a reputation as a big-time pinch-hitter, and the Dodgers are expecting many timely hits from him.

He had his first Wednesday night, capping a 5-4 victory against the San Diego Padres with a ninth-inning, two-out, run-scoring single.

Leyritz, batting for reliever Terry Adams, singled to left field on a 2-1 count against left-hander Kevin Walker to drive in Shawn Gilbert from second base with the winning run before 32,351 at Dodger Stadium.

Leyritz got his first hit in three pinch-hit at-bats since joining the Dodgers (40-36) in a trade with the New York Yankees last Tuesday for Jose Vizcaino. Adams (3-3) worked two hitless innings after relieving Dodger starter Chan Ho Park in the eighth.

The Dodgers won in their final at-bat against the Padres (34-42) for the second consecutive night after dropping the opener in the four-game series. Eric Karros’ 10th-inning, run-scoring single provided the difference in Tuesday’s 5-4 victory.

On Wednesday, Leyritz played the key role. Again.

“He’s quite a character to have around,” Manager Davey Johnson said about Leyritz. “He keeps the guys loose.”

Clutch hits will do that.

The Dodgers put runners on first and second with one out in the ninth against Steve Montgomery (0-1), who relieved starter Adam Eaton in the eighth.

Adrian Beltre flied out and Chad Kreuter walked, then Gilbert ran for Kreuter. Alex Cora singled to right and Padre Manager Bruce Bochy went to his bullpen again, bringing in Walker to face pinch-hitter Todd Hundley.

The switch-hitter, batting right-handed, flied out to shallow center on a 3-1 pitch and the runners held.

Enter Leyritz.

After taking a second strike, Leyritz hit a liner to left field and the Padres were finished. Leyritz pumped his arms as he stopped between first and second, then was mobbed by his teammates.

“It feels good to be able to contribute,” Leyritz said. “I’m really starting to enjoy myself over here. The good thing about the National League is that you might get that one at-bat every day.

“I’ve had a chance to contribute a lot as a bench player. After he got ahead, 1-2, I was looking for a changeup or a slider. He threw the slider. He made the mistake and hung it up.”

Adams was sharp in his return after taking a few days off because of soreness in his pitching shoulder. Karros gave the Dodgers a 4-2 lead in the fourth with his 23rd homer. Shawn Green walked with one out and Karros hit a 2-1 pitch from Eaton over the wall in left-center.

Karros homered and had the game-winning single Tuesday and is second on the Dodgers with 65 runs batted in.

But Park couldn’t preserve the lead, and his command was the problem. San Diego cut its deficit to 4-3 in the fifth on Bret Boone’s sacrifice fly, and then tied the score the next inning when Park got wild.

With two out, Park hit Eaton in his back with a pitch and walked Eric Owens. Al Martin made Park pay, singling to center on Park’s 100th pitch to drive in Eaton.

Park labored in a scoreless seventh and Johnson had seen enough.

Park gave up six hits and four runs in his second consecutive no-decision after five victories in a row. He struck out eight but walked six and hit Eaton while throwing 68 strikes in 125 pitches.

Park’s counterpart had a similar performance.

Eaton gave up five hits and four runs in seven innings. He struck out five, walked four and threw 70 strikes in 120 pitches.

The Dodgers tied the score, 2-2, in the third on Todd Hollandsworth’s two-run homer.

Kreuter led off with a single and stole second, only the fourth stolen base in the catcher’s nine-year career, when Cora struck out on a hit-and-run. After Park flied out, Hollandsworth worked a full count against Eaton and homered into the seats in the closed right-field pavilion.

The Padres had three hits in the first inning and took a 2-0 lead on Phil Nevin’s two-run single. With one out, Martin advanced to third on Ryan Klesko’s double down the first-base line, and Nevin drove them in with a single to center.