Back to reality for the Dodgers

Vicente Padilla and nine runs gave the Dodgers hope on Wednesday.

One squandered chance after another put them right back to where they started.

The Dodgers were awful with runners on base, and the Padres took full advantage as they claimed the win, 5-0. Both teams split the four-game series, so the Dodgers are back to eight games back in the NL West.

Chad Billingsley was in charge of picking up where Padilla left off, but Jerry Hairston Jr. doubled to left to lead off the game. Miguel Tejada ripped one, but right to James Loney at first, who then fired to second for the double play. Adrian Gonzalez struck out, and the Dodgers looked to be in good shape.

Again Billingsley worked out of trouble in the third. Will Venable singled and stole second to start. The next three batters did not reach, however, with Hariston Jr. striking out for the last out.

Through three innings, the Dodgers managed only one hit, a Ryan Theriot single in the first. Needing to put up more blanks to stay in the game, Billingsley hit a wall in the fourth. It started with a Tejada single, who was then forced at second on Gonzalez's grounder. Ryan Ludwick drew a walk for two on.

Next came something the Dodgers couldn't do all night - the Padres delivered with runners on. Chase Headley and Yorvit Torrealba hit consecutive RBI singles to center for the 2-0 lead. After another walk to Venable, Tony Gwynn lifted a sac-fly RBI go to up 3-0.

It's not like the Dodgers couldn't have come back, because they certainly had their chances. Guys would get on, and then it was like some sort of disease would hit that prevented them from being driven in. Bad swings led to weak grounders and pop-ups and blown opportunities.

The first chance came in the fourth. Theriot singled and Ethier drew a walk. Loney flied out, advancing Theriot to third. Matt Kemp weakly flied out to center for the last out.

In the sixth, another chance was wasted again. Scott Podsednik singled with one out. After a flyout from Theriot, Ethier singled for runners on the corners. Loney flied out to end it.

Now we go to the seventh, where Kemp and Casey Blake singled to begin the inning. A huge chance to score a run, right? Wrong. Jamey Carroll struck out and A.J. Ellis, one of the weakest hitters I've ever seen, grounded into a double play.

But no worries, thought the Dodgers, they had another chance in the eighth. Theriot hit his third single and Ethier followed with one of his own with two outs. Heath Bell came in to face Loney, who didn't come through the last time he was in this spot. And he didn't here again, as a weak grounder to first ended the frame.

Any chance to keep the game close was blown in the ninth, as Chris Denofia took advantage of some horrible fielding by Podsednik for a two-run, inside-the-park home run to go up 5-0. With Bell already in the game, this one was as good as over.

Still, the Dodgers again put men on base. Blake walked and Carroll singled with one out. Ronnie Belliard and Garret Anderson both couldn't get on (shocking, I know), and the game was over.

Maybe the Dodgers should be grateful to have even won two games to get the split. With the way they've looked before this series, getting a sweep was close to unrealistic. Plus, the Padres deserve a lot of credit for continuing to play so well.

Once the Padres got a 3-0 lead, the Dodgers' offense could do nothing about it. 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position, nine men left on total, and two double plays grounded into. That's the way it goes for them.

As I watched this game, the one thing I kept saying to myself was how I wished the Dodgers had a slugger in the middle of the order. Manny Ramirez was that guy, but we all know how much time he's missed this year. Without a big threat to drive in runs, opposing pitchers have little reason to worry when runners get on base. It sure showed in this game.

Billingsley battled for awhile, but wasn't his sharpest. He finished at six innings, seven hits, three runs, three walks, and four strikeouts. Kenley Jansen had a scoreless inning, and believe it or not, George Sherrill did too. Octavio Dotel was victimized by Denforia's homer.

Next up is three games at home against the Nationals. Thankfully, Stephen Strasburg is still a few days away from returning, so the Dodgers will avoid him. I can't even imagine how easily he'd mow down their poor offense. Clayton Kershaw will go on Friday.