Manny Ramirez breaks out of slump in Dodgers win

[August 26, 2010]  MILWAUKEE (AP) -- Manny Ramirez doubled twice and drove in his first run since reports he's been put on waivers, rallying the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 5-4 win over the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday night.

If Ramirez was auditioning for a new club such as the Chicago White Sox, who are rumored to have interest, it certainly was a success.

The 38-year-old Ramirez also walked twice, scored a run and was thrown out at the plate in a bizarre play in the third inning.

Andre Ethier hit a solo homer and James Loney drove in two runs for the Dodgers, who are clinging to postseason hopes.

Hiroki Kuroda (9-11) went seven solid innings, allow three runs in the fourth and another in the sixth. Corey Hart, Ryan Braun, Prince Fielder and Casey McGehee each had an RBI for Milwaukee.

Jonathan Broxton worked the eighth and the Dodgers used three relievers in the ninth.

Ronald Belisario forced Braun to ground out and George Sherrill did the same against Fielder. Octavio Dotel earned his 22nd save, and first with the Dodgers since being acquired at the nonwaiver trade deadline, by getting McGehee to fly out.

In the fifth, Ryan Theriot cut Milwaukee's lead to 3-2 against Randy Wolf (10-10) when he ducked behind a tag and slipped his left hand around catcher George Kottaras on Matt Kemp's sacrifice fly with Ramirez on first.

Casey Blake followed with a double and he and Ramirez scored on Loney's single to take a 4-3 lead. Ramirez added his RBI double in the sixth to make it 5-3.

Ramirez hasn't spoken at length to reporters since spring training and declined to talk before the game. Clubs looking to add Ramirez through a waiver claim or trade would need him on their roster by Aug. 31 to make him available for the postseason.

Ramirez was involved in a head-scratching play in the third when he was thrown out at home as third base coach Larry Bowa followed him down the line.

After doubling to snap an 0 for 7 streak since returning from the disabled list on Saturday, Ramirez tried to score from second on Blake's two-out single. Bowa never appeared to give a clear signal to stop or head home.

Braun's throw from left field reached Kottaras in plenty of time and Ramirez only made a halfhearted slide, never reaching the plate with a limping Bowa trailing a few steps behind.

The next time Bowa was faced with sending Ramirez in the fifth, he held up the stop sign as Ramirez rounded second. Loney then followed with his go-ahead hit.

NOTES: Ramirez is expected to sit out of Thursday's game. ... Brewers LHP Chris Capuano (2-2, 3.72 ERA) will start Saturday instead of LHP Manny Parra (3-10, 5.65), who has been demoted to the bullpen. ... Kuroda has the most at-bats this season without a hit at 43. The next-worst pitcher in the majors is St. Louis' Blake Hawksworth, who is hitless in 16 at-bats this year.

[Associated Press; By COLIN FLY]

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