Ramirez falls short in first game with the Dodgers

Los Angeles Dodgers' Manny Ramirez gets a base hit against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the fourth inning of a baseball game in Los Angeles, Friday, Aug. 1, 2008. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

Manny Ramirez had a memorable debut with the Los Angeles Dodgers. It just didn't end well for the enigmatic slugger. Ramirez grounded into a double play in the ninth inning and the Arizona Diamondbacks held on for a 2-1 victory at Los Angeles on Friday night.

Ramirez went 2-for-4 one day after being part of a three-way trade that sent him from Boston to Los Angeles, but he couldn't come up with the big hit against Brandon Lyon.

"That's a storybook ending right there -- Manny getting traded here and coming up (representing) the winning run," winning pitcher Randy Johnson said after his first-place Diamondbacks opened a three-game lead over the Dodgers in the NL West. "But Brandon made some quality pitches and got the double play. He's done his job pretty well all year."

In the other NL games, it was: Milwaukee 9, Atlanta 0; Pittsburgh 3, Chicago Cubs 0; St. Louis 6, Philadelphia 3; Colorado 5, Florida 2; Houston 7, New York Mets 3; Washington 5, Cincinnati 2; and San Francisco 3, San Diego 2 in 10 innings.

After giving up a leadoff single to Russell Martin, Lyon went 2-2 on Ramirez before throwing him a fastball away. The 12-time All-Star hit a grounder to shortstop Stephen Drew for the rally-killer and Jeff Kent popped to second, giving Lyon his 24th save in 29 attempts.

"I think I was trying to do too much," said Ramirez, who came in 2-for-3 lifetime against Lyon with a home run. "I was just trying to see the ball and hit it. He made a good pitch and got me out, but tomorrow's another day."

Johnson (9-7) won his fifth straight start and climbed within seven wins of 300, allowing an unearned run and five hits over six innings.

"My mechanics have fallen into place over the last three or four games and I'm able to throw all of my pitches over for strikes now and stay away from the big inning," Johnson said. "Throwing first-pitch strikes, I had some easy innings and it allowed me to stay out there."

The Big Unit was lifted for a pinch-hitter in the seventh, when the Diamondbacks pulled ahead with two runs against reliever Chan Ho Park (4-3).

Ramirez wore No. 99 and was welcomed before his first at-bat with a montage of highlights from his days with Cleveland and the Red Sox. The sellout crowd of 55,239 chanted his first name in unison and flashes went off around the ballpark while he looked toward the upper deck behind home plate and surveyed his new surroundings.

Brewers 9, Braves 0

Jeff Suppan pitched seven scoreless innings, Mike Cameron and Prince Fielder hit third-inning home runs and Milwaukee snapped a five-game losing streak.

The Brewers opened a six-game trip with their eighth straight road victory after losing five in a row at home, including four to the Cubs.

Suppan (6-7) gave up five hits, walked three and struck out one.

Atlanta's Chuck James (2-4) allowed six runs and six hits in 2 2-3 innings.

Pirates 3, Cubs 0

Jeff Karstens threw six innings in his Pittsburgh debut, and the visiting Pirates snapped Chicago's five-game winning streak.

Karstens (1-0), acquired last week from the New York Yankees, allowed five hits and walked four. John Grabow got three outs for his first save of the season.

Andy LaRoche, obtained in the Manny Ramirez deal, singled and scored a run.

Jason Marquis (6-7) got the loss.

Cardinals 6, Phillies 3

Ryan Ludwick homered twice and had four hits, and Joe Mather added a three-run shot for St. Louis.

Kyle Lohse (13-3) went 5 1-3 innings to help end his former team's five-game winning streak, and Jason Isringhausen earned his 12th save and first since May 5.

Ludwick homered off Cole Hamels (9-7) with two outs in the fifth and led off the eighth with a drive off Ryan Madson.

Pat Burrell homered for the visiting Phillies.

Rockies 5, Marlins 2

At Miami, Ubaldo Jimenez allowed two hits in seven shutout innings to win his fourth straight start for Colorado.

Jimenez (8-9) struck out 10 and kept the Marlins hitless until Dan Uggla's leadoff single in the fifth. Brian Fuentes got three outs for his 19th save.

Chris Volstad (2-2), a 21-year-old rookie, allowed four earned runs and eight hits in five innings.

Astros 7, Mets 3

Pinch-hitter Mark Loretta hit a tiebreaking grand slam off Mets reliever Aaron Heilman (1-5) in the eighth.

Kaz Matsui, pitcher Brandon Backe and Carlos Lee had solo homers, all leading off innings against Pedro Martinez, who made his first start since July 12.

Doug Brocail (5-5) got the final two outs of the eighth to get the win.

The visiting Mets loaded the bases with no outs in the seventh but didn't score as three different pitchers each got an out.

Nationals 5, Reds 2

Odalis Perez pitched into the eighth inning to earn his first home win and Washington ended a nine-game losing streak.

It was Cincinnati's first game since it traded outfielder Ken Griffey Jr. to the Chicago White Sox on Thursday. Reliever Nick Masset, one of two players acquired by the Reds in the deal, allowed one hit in three scoreless innings.

Perez (4-8) allowed one run and three hits over 7 1-3 innings in his longest start since he pitched eight innings in August 2005.

Homer Bailey (0-5) lasted two innings for Cincinnati, allowing five runs and seven hits.

Giants 3, Padres 2, 10 innings

At San Diego, pinch-hitter Eugenio Velez doubled off the wall in the 10th inning to drive in the go-ahead run for San Francisco.

Velez drove a 2-2 pitch off closer Trevor Hoffman (1-6) to score Emmanuel Burriss, who blooped single to center with two outs.

Sergio Romo (1-1) pitched the ninth for the win. Brian Wilson threw the 10th inning to pick up his NL-leading 29th save.