LOS ANGELES (AP) – Brandon Webb allowed two hits over seven innings, Chad Tracy hit a two-run homer in the eighth, and the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 2-0 on Tuesday night.

Tracy’s career-high 25th homer, which followed a two-out double by Luis Gonzalez, helped the Diamondbacks notch their sixth straight victory over Los Angeles. The Dodgers have lost 11 of 16 to Arizona this season after winning last year’s season series 16-3. That was their highest win total against any team since going 16-2 against San Diego in 1974.

Diamondbacks, who set a franchise record last season with 111 losses, improved to 73-84 and have a three-game lead over the fourth-place Dodgers in the NL West with five games to play. Los Angeles hasn’t finished lower than third since 1993.

Webb (14-11) allowed only three baserunners and retired Oscar Robles twice on double-play grounders after singles by Hee-Seop Choi in the first and seventh innings.

Webb is 3-0 with a 1.52 ERA in his last four starts. He was 5-11 with a 4.15 ERA in his previous 19 outings, after going 6-0 in his first nine starts this season.

Tim Worrell pitched a perfect eighth and Jose Valverde got three outs for his 12th save to complete the two-hitter. Valverde has not allowed an earned run in 13 2-3 innings over his last 12 appearances.

Jeff Weaver (14-11) allowed two runs and five hits over eight innings. This was his final start of the season – unless the NL West race between San Diego and San Francisco goes down to Sunday’s regular-season finale. Then the right-hander would find himself in an unusual position for a Dodgers pitcher – trying to help the archrival Giants by beating the Padres.

Arizona stranded runners at third in the fourth and seventh innings. Weaver retired Troy Glaus on a line drive to center fielder Jason Repko to end the fourth, and escaped the other jam when Royce Clayton struck out and Chris Snyder hit a soft liner to third base.

Notes: Perhaps the most damaging loss for the Dodgers last winter was Adrian Beltre, who signed with Seattle as a free agent after hitting .334 with 121 RBIs and a major league-leading 48 homers. His replacements at 3B this season – Jose Valentin, Olmedo Saenz, Mike Edwards, Robles, Antonio Perez, Manny Aybar and Norihiro Nakamura – have hit a combined .262 with 10 homers and 59 RBIs when playing third. … Glaus was 0-for-2 against Weaver, and is 2-for-31 lifetime against him. … This six-game trip to Los Angeles and San Francisco will mark the first time in the Diamondbacks’ 8-year history that they will finish the regular season on the road. … With the NL West title still in doubt, the also-ran Dodgers have penciled in Derek Lowe, Brad Penny and Weaver to start the final three games of the regular season at San Diego. … The Dodgers entered Tuesday with 102 errors. Last season, they made 73, the fewest in the majors.

AP-ES-09-28-05 0036EDT

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