Game 141: Dodgers @ New York Mets 5:0

It was a more than fitting night for Hong-Chih Kuo to get his first major league start. It was Taiwan heritage night at Shea Stadium. It was even more fitting for Kuo to pitch such a stellar game. I was really impressed by Kuo's attitude. When told he was getting the start, it seemed like no big deal. When told later, that he would receive a second start, he replied, "Just got to get ready."

Paul Lo Duca wasn't surprised at Kuo's success. Lo Duca said that Kuo had always been a great pitcher and that he had been through a lot with two Tommy John's or else he would have been up in Los Angeles much sooner.

Rafael Furcal and Nomar Garciaparra helped awaken the bats a little, each homering in the Dodgers' 5-0 win.

Kuo improved to 1-4, yielding three hits, striking out seven and walking three in six innings on. He became the third Taiwanese pitcher ever to start a game in the major leagues.

"We knew he was limited with the number of pitches that he had to
work with because of his inexperience starting games this season
but he got us very deep into that game with a good quality
start out there," said Dodgers manager Grady Little,
who announced afterward that Kuo would start against
the Cubs on Thursday. "We're proud for him."

Kenny Lofton had two hits and an RBI for the Dodgers, who won for only the second time in their last six games. The win also ensured another day in first place for the Dodgers, which led the NL West by a half-game over San Diego heading into play Friday.

The Mets, who were blanked for the second in time five days, only managed four hits against Kuo and three relievers -- Brett Tomko, Jonathan Broxton and Takashi Saito.

Furcal led off the fifth with his 10th homer to put Los Angeles in front 3-0. One batter later, Garciaparra hit an 0-1 pitch into the bleachers in left. The Dodgers almost had a third solo homer in the inning but Carlos Beltran timed his jump perfectly, sticking his glove over the wall to take one away from J.D. Drew.

Kuo held the Mets hitless into the bottom half of the fifth, when the Mets finally got their first hit of the evening.

"He was throwing nasty, pitching great," Furcal said.

Kuo was subbing for injured right-hander Chad Billingsley, who is working his way back from a strained side muscle and is slated to return to the rotation next Saturday against San Diego. The left-hander did well in Billingsley's absence in his first start after 23 relief appearances to start the season. He was converted to a starter last month at Triple-A Las Vegas.

"I feel a little better for the warmup and stuff," Kuo said.
"For me right now, just whatever they put me at I've got to do it.
I've got to go for it, try to finish my job."

The Dodgers pushed across two unearned runs in the first to snap the Mets' scoreless streak at 25 innings. With the bases loaded and two outs, newly-acquired Dodger Marlon Anderson hit a grounder to third that was bobbled for a second before being thrown wide of first.

Furcal and Garciaparra raced around to score to make it 2-0.

Random notes:

1. Eric Stults will start Sunday for Los Angeles. It will be Stults' first major league start and second big league appearance. Glad to see Hendrickson finally OUT of the lineup. Unfortunately, it seems they are going with the inexperienced lefty simply because he is a lefty.