Wednesday, April 14, 2004
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

DODGERS' TOP PROSPECT: Jackson pitches into trouble

Right-hander surrenders six runs in 4

By MATT YOUMANS
REVIEW-JOURNAL

Twenty-year-old Edwin Jackson was roughed up in his second Triple-A start with Las Vegas, but manager Terry Kennedy said it is simply part of the learning curve for a professional pitcher. Photo by Craig L. Moran.

Everywhere he has pitched, whether it be in the minor leagues or with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Edwin Jackson has encountered success.

The 20-year-old right-hander got acquainted with adversity Tuesday night in his second Triple-A start for the 51s.

Jackson was knocked out after allowing six earned runs in 4 1/3 innings as the Tacoma Rainiers handed Las Vegas its fourth consecutive loss, 7-6, before a crowd of 1,726 at Cashman Field.

"These are things that E.J. has got to work through," 51s manager Terry Kennedy said. "Unfortunately, this is a game you don't learn until you fall on your face. You do learn from success, but you learn much faster from failure."

Jackson (1-1) beat Portland on Thursday in his Pacific Coast League debut, allowing two runs in five innings. But he couldn't survive the fifth this time.

After intentionally walking A.J. Zapp to load the bases with one out, Jackson fell behind 3-1 in the count to cleanup hitter Hiram Bocachica. Jackson grooved a fastball that Bocachica lined over the right-field wall for a 6-2 Rainers lead.

Kennedy visited the mound in the middle of the rally but opted to let his young pitcher try to work himself out of trouble. He said he didn't consider lifting Jackson at that point.

"Edwin needed to work through something like that," Kennedy said. "He didn't win that battle right there, but he learned from it. He will win most of those in the long run.

"When I went to the mound, he didn't have that empty stare. He wasn't scared at all."

Jackson, the top prospect in the Dodgers organization, left the clubhouse before talking to reporters.

"He really is a very inexperienced professional pitcher. I had Kerry Wood and he had to work through it," said Kennedy, who managed Wood when the right-hander was with the Iowa Cubs. "Nobody is immune to the lessons on the ballfield."

Jackson was in position to win the game going into the fifth.

Luis Garcia hit his third home run of the season, a two-run shot, to put Las Vegas (2-4) ahead 2-1 in the fourth. He was 2-for-4 with three RBIs.

Bocachica went 3-for-5 in a 13-hit attack for Tacoma (3-3). Zapp, 4-for-4 with an RBI on Tuesday, is 7-for-9 in the series.

Rainiers left-hander Bobby Madritsch (1-0) pitched six innings to earn the win. He allowed five runs, two earned, and left with a 6-5 lead.

John Barnes' two-run single highlighted a three-run fifth inning for the 51s.

Joe Thurston's solo homer to lead off the ninth pulled Las Vegas within 7-6, but J.J. Putz recovered to retire the next three batters and get the save.

"We're scuffling offensively a little bit," Kennedy said.