Ramirez welcomed back with cheers in LA's 3-0 loss

[July 17, 2009]  LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Manny Ramirez was little help for Los Angeles in his first game at Dodger Stadium since his 50-game suspension ended as Wandy Rodriguez combined with four relievers on an eight-hitter in the Houston Astros' 3-0 victory Thursday night.

Back in Mannywood, Ramirez went 1 for 4 with two strikeouts while being welcomed with cheers, chants of his name and camera flashes that sparkled around the stadium.

Ramirez singled to lead off the eighth, but he was erased on a double play one batter later. In the ninth, Ramirez walked over to center fielder Matt Kemp and rested on one knee chatting with Kemp and right fielder Andre Ethier as reliever Scott Elbert warmed up.

There were plenty of empty seats among the announced crowd of 45,970 for Ramirez's return, which came after he rejoined the team at San Diego on July 3 for a nine-game road trip. Owners Frank and Jamie McCourt were out of town. Ramirez was suspended for violating baseball's drug policy.

There was one bit of bad news for the Astros. First baseman Lance Berkman left the game with a mild left calf strain and is day to day. He's leading the team in home runs and RBIs.

Rodriguez (9-6) gave up five hits in six innings, struck out six and walked two in winning his fifth in a row. The Astros have won the left-hander's last five starts and six of his last seven.

Jose Valverde, the fourth Astros reliever, earned his ninth save in 13 chances.

Humberto Quintero hit his first home run of the season on the first pitch from Randy Wolf (4-4) with two outs in the fifth inning.

The left-hander allowed five hits and three runs in six-plus innings, with six strikeouts and one walk against his former team.

Wolf retired 14 of the first 16 batters he faced before giving up the homer. He retired the next four batters before allowing three consecutive singles to load the bases with no outs in the seventh. Guillermo Mota replaced him and allowed an RBI single to Kazuo Matsui on his fourth pitch, making it 2-0.

The Astros extended their lead to 3-0 on a double-play grounder by Quintero that scored Miguel Tejada.

Ethier hit into a bases-loaded double-play with Ramirez on deck in the fifth.

NOTES: Juan Pierre, who replaced Ramirez in left field during the slugger's suspension, got a standing ovation when he entered as a pinch hitter in the seventh. ... The Dodgers placed RHP Cory Wade on the 15-day DL and recalled INF Blake DeWitt from Triple A-Albuquerque. ... The Astros recalled LHP Wesley Wright from Triple A-Round Rock to fill the roster spot vacated when RHP Felipe Paulino was optioned to Round Rock on Sunday.

[Associated Press; By BETH HARRIS]

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