Schilling wins for first time since Aug. 17

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- An aching Curt Schilling was still plenty

good enough to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Schilling won for the first time in a month, Junior Spivey drove

in two runs and the Arizona Diamondbacks won 3-2 on Tuesday night.

"It didn't look like anything was bothering him out there on

the mound. That was vintage Curt Schilling," Arizona manager Bob

Brenly said. "He had the little extra on the fastball when he went

up high in the strike zone, a devastating split-finger, threw some

real good breaking balls. It seemed like he was ahead of every

hitter."

Schilling (8-8) gave up one run on eight hits in seven innings,

struck out eight and walked one despite a stiff groin that

concerned Brenly more than Schilling's sore neck.

"I'm a little banged up, but I'm still serviceable right now,"

he said. "It's a big win for us. Believe it or not, we're still

alive. Our season is pretty much riding on every game every day."

So is the Dodgers' season. Los Angeles dropped 2{ games behind

Florida in the NL wild-card race, and clinched a playoff berth for

Atlanta.

"Schilling threw a tremendous game and proof of that is he

completely shut down the middle of our order," Dodgers manager Jim

Tracy said. "That hasn't happened in a couple of weeks."

Schilling missed a start last week in San Francisco because of a

strained neck muscle. He had been winless in his previous four

starts since a 2-0 victory over Atlanta on Aug. 17, with two losses

and two no-decisions.

"I knew the ball was not going to carry in this park tonight

and I tried to use that to my advantage early in the game, throw a

lot of fastballs, get them aggressive and then start mixing it

up," he said.

Matt Mantei gave up a solo homer to Jeromy Burnitz in the ninth

before finishing for his 24th save in 27 opportunities.

Spivey's second double of the game gave Arizona a 3-0 lead in

the seventh. Steve Finley singled to center and scored when Spivey

doubled to center.

The Diamondbacks led 1-0 on Spivey's RBI double in the third.

With two outs, Finley doubled and Spivey followed with a hit that

bounced into the center-field seats.

"I wanted to see the ball up a little bit and put a good swing

on it," Spivey said. "I just got good pitches to hit and took

advantage of them."

Alex Cintron led off the fourth with a triple off the

center-field wall, and Shea Hillenbrand's RBI fielder's choice made

it 2-0. Cintron was called safe by umpire Gerry Davis in a close

play at the plate.

The Dodgers threatened in the fifth when Dave Roberts walked

with two outs to load the bases, but Paul Lo Duca ended the inning

with a pop foul.

"It's frustrating. We're trying to win every game," said Shawn

Green, who was 1-for-4. "It's a tough task, especially when you

face a guy like Schilling, who's one of the best pitchers in the

game."

In the seventh, Cesar Izturis was called out by first-base

umpire Mark Carlson. Tracy ran onto the field to talk to Carlson,

then yanked first base from its moorings and moved it several

inches up the line. The crowd of 31,689 roared its approval, while

Carlson waited as a ballboy put the base back.

"As it turns out, I was wrong," said Tracy, ejected for the

sixth time this season.

Alex Cora, who led off the inning with a double and moved to

third on Izturis' groundout, scored on Roberts' RBI single.

Kazuhisa Ishii (9-6) gave up two runs on five hits in five

innings, struck out four and walked three.Game notes
Dodgers LHP Odalis Perez will miss his start Wednesday

because of a broken nail on the middle finger of his pitching hand.

Tracy said the team doesn't want to risk Perez developing a

blister, so RHP Edwin Jackson will replace him. ... Schilling's

eight strikeouts gave him 2,540 for his career, surpassing Tim

Keefe for 23rd on the career list. ... Arizona RF Raul Mondesi left

in the seventh after re-aggravating a right hip flexor injury that

originally occurred Sept. 2. He's day to day. ... The Diamondbacks

opened their final road trip of the season. After three games at

Dodger Stadium, they'll play three each at Milwaukee and Colorado

before concluding with a three-game homestand against St. Louis.

Arizona has yet to be mathematically eliminated from the wild-card

race, but the Diamondbacks would need help from other teams to make

the playoffs for the fourth time in six years. ... Schilling beat

the Dodgers for the first time this season. He had a no-decision on

April 1, and lost 1-0 on July 27.