Carter Powers Padres Past Dodgers in 13th

Joe Carter, who entered the game tied for the National League lead with 50 runs batted in, got two more important ones Friday night with a 13th-inning home run, giving the San Diego Padres a 3-1 victory over the Dodgers before 39,620 at Dodger Stadium.

With Tony Gwynn running from first base, Carter hit a 1-and-2 pitch from reliever Mike Hartley into the left-field seats for his 12th home run of the season. Gwynn had reached base with a leadoff walk.

In terms of innings, it was the Dodgers’ longest game of the season. It was also the first in which Tom Lasorda used the motivational tool of coaching third base. And it was the Dodgers’ fifth consecutive loss, one short of their longest losing streak of the season. It dropped the fourth-place Dodgers 11 games behind the National League West-leading Cincinnati Reds, equaling their biggest deficit this season.

The Padres ended a three-game losing streak and are in second place in the West, seven games behind Cincinnati.

The Padres could have won in the 12th against relief pitcher Jim Gott. Garry Templeton drew a one-out walk and Phil Stephenson hit a ground-rule double to left field, Templeton going to third. But Gott struck out Shawn Abner and Roberto Alomar flied out to center field to end the inning.

By then, the Dodgers had already blown chances to win in the 10th, 11th and 12th innings against relief pitchers Greg Harris and Calvin Schiraldi.

In the 10th, Alfredo Griffin was hit by a fastball. One out later, Lenny Harris reached on a 20-foot grounder that died in front of third baseman Mike Pagliarulo. Up stepped Kirk Gibson, accompanied by a roar from the several thousand remaining fans.

But Gibson struck out swinging on four pitches, after which he threw his bat, spiked his helmet, and kicked the air. That made him hitless in four at-bats after he entered the night on a 10-for-22 roll.

The 11th inning was nearly as frustrating for the Dodgers. With two outs, Stan Javier doubled down the left field line. It was Javier’s second hit after being put in the starting lineup as a late replacement for sore-wristed Hubie Brooks. Rick Dempsey, who earlier had pinch-hit for Mike Scioscia, then walked on five pitches.

Up stepped Juan Samuel, hitless in 29 previous at-bats. He struck out on three pitches.

With two outs in the 12th, Lenny Harris singled to left and Gibson walked. But Jose Gonzalez struck out on three pitches from Schiraldi.

During this time Dodger relievers Jay Howell and rookie Jim Poole, making his major league debut, had been stifling the Padres. Howell, in one of his best outings of the year, threw two hitless innings after replacing Dodger starter Fernando Valenzuela in the ninth.

The left-handed Poole entered the game in the 11th and struck out Tony Gwynn on five pitches, but was immediately replaced by Gott because the upcoming Padre hitters were right-handed. Poole, who was pitching for double-A San Antonio three days ago, left the game to a standing ovation.

It appeared either team could win the game in the eighth. But a fly ball to deep left field by Carter off Valenzuela stranded runners on first and second. And a fly ball to deep center field by Kal Daniels off relief pitcher Craig Lefferts stranded Dodgers on first and second.

The Dodgers scored an unearned run off starter Andy Benes in the fourth inning, but the Padres scored against Valenzuela in the fifth.

Valenzuela gave up one run on seven hits in eight innings. Equally important for the Dodgers, he survived an apparent twisted ankle suffered in the seventh inning while fielding Mark Parent’s bunt.

Benes was spectacular but, then, the Dodgers have never seen him any other way. In seven innings, he gave up only five hits and one unearned run. It was the fourth time in his six starts against the Dodgers that Benes did not give up an earned run. The Dodgers have scored only two runs in 35 1/3 innings against him, an 0.50 earned-run average. Scioscia (12 career at-bats) and Samuel (seven) are hitless against Benes.

The Dodgers scored first, in the fourth inning. With one out, a slumping Daniels, who entered the game with one hit in his previous 29 at-bats, grounded a ball that bounced off second baseman Alomar’s glove. Daniels was safe at first on the error. Eddie Murray then draw a walk, Benes’ first of the game. Javier then singled to center field to score Daniels.

In the fifth inning, with two outs, Parent doubled to left field, scoring on a single by Templeton.