by Rob Biertempfel , Pittsburgh Tribune Review

Capps yielded three runs (two earned), three hits and a walk in the top of the ninth inning. That gave the Dodgers a 5-2 lead and put them on the brink of clinching their second straight NL West title.

But in the bottom of the inning, the Pirates got four runs off Dodgers closer Jonathan Broxton to snatch a 6-5 triumph. Despite inflating his ERA by nearly a quarter-point, Capps (4-8) wound up the unlikely winner.

It's been a difficult season for Capps, who has five blown saves and the highest ERA (5.91) of his major-league career.

Capps is in the final year of a two-year, $2.8 million deal. Before yesterday's game, general manager Neal Huntington said he will tender Capps a contract offer this winter, in hopes of avoiding arbitration.

When asked about next season, Huntington gave Capps a tepid vote of confidence.

"If Matt does what he needs to do this offseason and comes in (to spring training) ready to go and in shape from pitch one, there's every reason to believe he will be our closer," Huntington said. "If something unforeseen happens, that could change."

Something unforeseen could be another injury to Capps' shoulder, which cost him two months on the disabled list last season. It could be the emergence of Joel Hanrahan, a former closer for Washington, or closer-in-waiting Evan Meek. Or, it could be an offseason trade.

The presence of Hanrahan and Meek gives the Pirates solid options, which they did not have when Capps became the closer in 2007.

"The bar just keeps getting pushed higher and higher," Huntington said. "So maybe some of the lack of performance and production that we tolerated (this year), maybe we do give someone else the opportunity a little quicker next year or two years from now."

Batters are hitting .326 against Capps, who has retired just 61 percent of the first batters he's faced. He's issued a career-high 17 walks.

"I know I can do it," Capps said. "It's just a matter of going out and doing it every day and finding a way when it's not a save situation to make sure I'm still sharp."

Yesterday's game was not a save situation; the score was tied, 2-2, when Capps entered the game.

Capps said his shoulder is healthy and has not bothered him this season. He'll need just a routine physical exam this offseason.

Last winter, Capps worked hard to build strength in his shoulder. That enabled him to report to spring training in his best shape ever but might be taking a toll as the season enters its final week.

"I pretty much had a Baseball in my hand all last winter," Capps said. "It's going to be different this year."

Capps plans to go back to his old offseason routine: taking a couple weeks off in October for sort of a mental cleansing and throwing again starting in January.

Capps expects to return to the Pirates next spring and isn't worried about competition for his job.

"I come to spring training every year thinking I'm going to have to earn what I'm going to be given," he said. "That's my mentality."

Notes: It does not seem likely that first base coach Perry Hill and pitching coach Joe Kerrigan both will return in 2010. "We continue to have dialogue and it will be something we'll announce after the season," Huntington said. ... Yesterday was the first time reliever Joel Hanrahan (elbow) had pitched since Sept. 15. Huntington said the right-hander "has a chance to pitch a couple more times this year."

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