Chan-Ho, Abashed 13th Victory

In the ninth inning leading 5-4, Dodger closer Jeff Shaw encountered the critical situation with no out and runners on the first and third, allowing a base-on-balls and a single. Shaw is the very pitcher who blew out the victory two days ago by earning two runs in the 3-2 ninth in game with Colorado Rockies.

Although Park`s victory might be taken away, Shaw saved the game, retiring three hitters with two strikeouts and a groundout. Ironically, despite Shaw recorded the most save failure (7 times) among the National League (NL) pitchers, he ranked as the leader with 38 saves at the NL saves category.

Park Chan-Ho (28, LA Dodgers) earned his 13th victory, going through indescribable hardships.

Although Park allowed four runs with 8 hits and 4 walks for 5 and 2/3 innings, he luckily captured the 13th victory thanks to a homer of catcher Chad Kreuter.

Luck is a part of the game. Thus far, Park have failed to win a game so many times in spite of his outstanding pitching, but he could earn a win thanks to the help of his colleagues who made up Park`s poor outing. Park was not up to the mark, sending a runner every inning till the sixth with a hit or a walk. The velocity of his fast ball did not exceed 140 km, and he failed to properly control the breaking balls.

Park yielded two earned runs by a timely hit of Pierre in a second inning with two outs and runners on the first and the second, after Cirillo homered for the Rockies. For Park, it was hardly a vintage performance, giving up an earned run by a combination of a triple and a groundball in the third and allowing a solo homer to Helton in the fourth.

However, Dodger hitters tenaciously attacked the Colorado starter Denny Neagle. The Dodgers chased up to 3-4 with two solo home run of Beltre and Sheffield, and Kreuter turned the table with a thrilling two run homer in the fifth with no out and a runner on second base.

Park stepped down the mound in a full-based sixth inning after two outs, and could won the second consecutive victory following the game with Atlanta Braves on 25th, thanks to the bullpen pitchers comprised of Mulholland, Herges and Shaw, who never allowed a run.

Coupled with Arizona`s loss, the Dodgers pulled to within 4.5 games of NL West first-place Arizona, keeping the 1 game difference from second-place San Francisco Giants. And the Dodgers are 1.5 games behind Wild Card-leading Chicago. The wild card will be given to the team that records the highest winning percentage among second-place teams of each division.

Park raised his ERA to 3.05, and will attempt to get his third consecutive win in an away game with Colorado Rockies at 10 o`clock am on 6th.

Kim Sang-Soo ssoo@donga.com