LOS ANGELES -- Dodgers manager Don Mattingly got on the plane after Josh Becketts no-hitter in Philadelphia and teased next-day starter Hyun-Jin Ryu. "You have to throw a perfect game to top Beckett," Mattingly told the South Korean left-hander. Ryu nearly did. He retired his first 21 batters before Todd Fraziers leadoff double in the eighth inning, and Los Angeles held on to beat the Cincinnati Reds 4-3 Monday. "For a minute there, I thought, Whew, he might do it," Mattingly said. The Reds hit only three balls out of the infield before Frazier doubled down the left-field line on an 0-1 pitch. That followed a three-run seventh by the Dodgers in which Ryu ran the bases and scored. Ryu came close to making the Dodgers the first team in major league history with consecutive no-hitters. Beckett won 6-0 on Sunday. "Of course it was in the back of my mind," Ryu said through a translator, explaining that he had never carried a no-hit bid that deep. "It wasnt until the seventh that I thought it could happen." Los Angeles pitchers tossed a club-record 17 straight hitless innings dating to Saturday, when Paul Maholm got it started against the Phillies. The only other team since 1974 to have a no-hitter through seven innings in back-to-back games was the Oakland Athletics on July 14-15, 2005, against Texas, according to STATS. "It gives us confidence as a ballclub that what weve been built for is to pitch," Mattingly said. "It tells me we can get on a roll." The only other club since 1974 to pitch 17 straight hitless innings was the Los Angeles Angels from May 1-3, 2012, including Jered Weavers no-hitter, STATS said. "I was more nervous tonight," Mattingly said. "Its a one-run game and one swing can change the whole game. It was fun to watch until the eighth." Cincinnati scored three times in the eighth, but right fielder Yasiel Puig made a key defensive play when he cut off Billy Hamiltons two-run double in the gap. The relay home held Skip Schumaker at third, and Kenley Jansen struck out Brandon Phillips with the bases loaded to preserve a 4-3 lead. Jansen also worked the ninth, retiring Devin Mesoraco with two on for his 15th save. Johnny Cueto (4-4) allowed four hits and four runs -- one earned -- in 6 1-3 innings. Ryu (5-2) was charged with three runs and three hits in 7 1-3 innings, improving to 6-0 in six starts against the Reds. He struck out seven and walked none while winning for the first time at Dodger Stadium this season. He was 0-2 with a 9.00 ERA in three previous home starts. "He was great through seven," said backup catcher Drew Butera, who also caught Becketts game. "When guys see a pitcher a third time theyre a little more confident. He still made some good pitches; they just found some holes." Ryu got help from third baseman Justin Turner, who was playing for injured Juan Uribe. Turner made two diving stops in the hole against Zack Cozart his first two times up and threw him out both times. "It was a huge part," Ryu said. "He motivated me to focus more and try a little harder." Reds manager Bryan Price singled out Turner as a standout. "His 16-pitch at-bat really took a lot of the starch out of Johnny in the seventh and led to their big inning," Price said. Ryu left to a standing ovation not long after Frazier spoiled his bid for the first perfect game in the majors since Felix Hernandez accomplished the feat for Seattle against Tampa Bay on Aug. 15, 2012. Ryan Ludwick followed with a single, moving Frazier to third. He scored on Chris Heiseys sacrifice fly that left the Reds trailing 4-1. Brayan Pena singled, bringing Mattingly to the mound to remove Ryu. "He was throwing every pitch in any count and just kept us off balance really well," Heisey said. "He wasnt leaving anything over the middle of the plate. It was almost like he was setting up his fastball with his changeup and his curveball. He did a great job of mixing it up and not giving in." The Reds continued the rally after Brian Wilson replaced Ryu. Wilson gave up Hamiltons two-run double and walked Cozart before he was yanked and angrily slammed his glove twice against the dugout wall. Wilson paced back and forth several times, then began clapping as Jansen was introduced. Ryu faced a Reds lineup in which only one batter began the day batting over .264. That was Phillips, who came in hitting .281. The Reds played without slugger Joey Votto, who went on the disabled list Sunday with a strained left knee, and right fielder Jay Bruce, who came off the DL last Friday after left knee surgery. The Dodgers had a long inning in the seventh, which started with Turners 16-pitch walk. Ryu was later credited with his first RBI of the season. Cozart charged Ryus slow bouncer to shortstop with the infield playing in, hoping for a play at the plate. Instead, Cozart bobbled the ball and all the runners were safe. Turner scored to give the Dodgers a 2-0 lead. They extended it to 4-0 on Carl Crawfords two-run double that scored Ryu and Dee Gordon. Los Angeles led 1-0 in the third on a two-out fielding error by Frazier, who was making his second start at first base this season because of Vottos absence. NOTES: Sandy Koufax remains the only Dodgers pitcher with a perfect game, a 1-0 win over the Chicago Cubs at home on Sept. 9, 1965. ... Hall of Fame announcer Vin Scully missed the game because of a chest cold that was expected to keep him out of the booth Tuesday as well. ... The Dodgers will give away Ryu bobbleheads on Tuesday. NBA Jerseys Store . 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So theres nothing weve decided permanently," Payton said before teeing off at the pro-am for the PGA Tours Zurich Classic. "I know we made the transaction with Cam. But its pretty common with the new CBA at least to have that flexibility." Hampered by a toe injury that caused him to sit out five games, Ingram rushed for 386 yards and one touchdown last season, averaging 4.9 yards per carry. His best performance came against Dallas, which he rushed for 145 yards and a touchdown. He also rushed for 97 yards and a score in a playoff victory at Philadelphia. Ingram also participated in several events surrounding the Zurich Classic. He was in town for the start of ooff-season workouts at Saints headquarters.dddddddddddd. So far, star tight end Jimmy Graham has skipped those workouts while his agent, Jimmy Sexton, and the Saints continue protracted negotiations over a long-term extension. "I think its pretty normal," Payton said. The Saints have virtually locked Graham in for 2014 by placing a franchise tag worth $7.04 million on the 6-foot-7 tight end. However, Graham is seeking a long-term extension with pay commensurate to that of a top-tier receiver. Last season, Graham led New Orleans in yards receiving with 1,215 and in touchdown catches with 16. In 2012, quarterback Drew Brees held out until reaching a five-year, $100 million deal in early July, just weeks before training camp. Saints general manager Mickey Loomis said during LSUs pro day this month that it would not be unreasonable to expect negotiations with Graham to follow a similar timeline, and that there is no immediate deadline. "All of us would rather have things done sooner than later, but it doesnt always happen that way," Loomis said then. "Obviously we want to have Jimmy Graham on our team when training camp begins." ' ' '
