Penny wins No. 16 as Dodgers down D-Backs

Sep 15, 2007, 6:32 GMT

Los Angeles, CA - Brad Penny threw five innings for his 16th win of the year and Matt Kemp's RBI triple was part of a four-run fifth inning, boosting the Dodgers to a 7-4 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Nomar Garciaparra had three hits, including a homer, for Los Angeles, which won its third in a row to remain tied with Philadelphia, 1 1/2 games behind wild card-leading San Diego. The Padres and Phillies both won in extra innings Friday night. The Dodgers are also 4 1/2 games behind the Diamondbacks for the lead in the NL West.

'It was a good win for the team,' Garciaparra said. 'Everybody did the little things you don't see in the box score that helped us win today.'

Penny (16-4) allowed six hits and four runs -- three earned -- walked three and struck out six. The 16 wins equals a career-best, set last year.

'I was a little wild early, but I settled down,' Penny said. 'It was a great comeback with two outs in the fifth. They really supported me tonight. Right now we're running out of time, and every game is crucial.'

Doug Davis (13-12) had a three-game winning streak snapped as the lefty yielded nine hits and six runs -- four earned -- in 4 2/3 frames.

Mark Reynolds belted a two-run homer and had three RBI for Arizona, which started this three-game set with seven wins in its last eight contests. However, the Diamondbacks fell to 5-8 against the Dodgers this season. Arizona had swept the Dodgers in LA the last time, August 3-5, recording two shutouts, but Friday was a much different result.

Conor Jackson singled with two outs in the fifth inning, and Reynolds followed with his 14th homer of the year, a shot to left field.

The Dodgers then went ahead with a big bottom half. Juan Pierre walked and James Loney singled to put runners at the corners. Jeff Kent grounded into a double play, but Garciaparra homered to right-center field and Russell Martin reached first on an error from Stephen Drew at shortstop. Kemp then tripled to right field and came home on Andre Ethier's single to right for a 6-4 lead.

Ethier singled in Garciaparra in the seventh.

Takashi Saito induced a double play from pinch-hitter Miguel Montero to end the eighth, and he threw the ninth for his 39th save.

Reynolds walked with the bases full in the first, but Penny escaped further damage by retiring the next two batters, and Loney tied the game with an RBI double in the bottom half.

Drew lifted a sacrifice fly in the fourth, but Martin tied the game at 2-2 in the bottom half with an RBI single.

Game Notes

Penny is 8-3 lifetime against the Diamondbacks...Loney has 13 RBI in his last eight games.

© 2007 The Sports Network

Game Notes

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