Thursday, Sept. 1, 2005 | 9:44 a.m.
SUN WIRE SERVICES
CHICAGO -- Derek Lowe pitched a one-hitter for his second shutout and complete game of the season, leading Los Angeles against the Chicago Cubs 7-0 Wednesday.
Lowe (9-13) gave up an infield single leading off the first to Jerry Hairston Jr., who beat a bouncer to third without a throw from a single to Mike Edwards. Lowe faced just 29 batters, allowing his only other runners on walks to Michael Barrett in the third and Jeromy Burnitz in the seventh.
He struck out seven to win for the first time in five starts since Aug. 5. It was the third career shutout and complete game for Lowe, who pitched a no-hitter for Boston against Tampa Bay on April 27, 2002. His other complete game this year was a three-hit shutout against San Diego on April 15.
"Derek Lowe was obvious the show today," Los Angeles manager Jim Tracy said. "One chopped, two-strike swing from a no-hitter. That's basically what it boiled down to today."
"When we hit it hard, it was right at somebody," Cubs manager Dusty Baker said. "He got strike one low and away. He had good stuff today."
Lowe said he moved to the right side of the pitcher's rubber and it paid off.
"From the third-base side, I wasn't able to consistently get the ball inside," he said. "We thought we'd just take a shot, I can't tell you the difference, not just the results, but the feel of being able to command the outer half (of the plate) against right-handers and inside for left-handers. It's fun to be able to go out there and feel like you have a better chance of having success."
Over the course of the season, Lowe also has changed his grip on the ball so the seam doesn't rub against his thumb, which has had a blister.
"Changing the way I throw, so I don't have that stupid blister problem, has made a big difference," he said. "I just took my thumb and put it in the middle of the ball so there's no seam running over it."
Jose Cruz Jr. went 3-for-3 with three RBIs, Olmedo Saenz added a two-run homer and Jayson Werth hit a two-run single for the Dodgers, who won for the fourth time in five games.
Cruz had a single, double and triple in Los Angeles 11-hit attack. Every Dodger starter had a hit except shortstop Oscar Robles.
Glendon Rusch (5-8) lost his sixth consecutive decision since June 2, allowing seven runs and seven hits in two-plus innings. Michael Wuertz, Scott Williamson, Jermaine Van Buren and Will Ohman combined for four-hit shutout relief.
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