The Padres did all of their damage in the second and ninth innings. The Dodgers did all of their damage... never, because they didn't score one damn run. The result was a laugher for the Padres as they took another win, 7-0. The Dodgers dropped two of three at home to one of the weakest hitting teams I've ever seen in my life. Not good.
Jon Garland got through the first with ease, but ran into trouble the next inning. Nick Hundley led off with a walk, and it was mostly downhill from there. Orlando Hudson singled for runners on the corners. Cameron "Tiki" Maybin hit an RBI single for the 1-0 edge. Brad Hawpe followed that up with a two-run single, and it was 3-0.
The game may as well have ended right there, because for whatever reason, the offense could do absolutely nothing against the great Dustin Moseley. Granted, he had a career 4.89 ERA coming into this one, but that didn't matter. He's just plain nasty!
But in all seriousness, Moseley was a hard-luck 0-3 entering this game because he sported a 1.99 ERA. It's not like the Dodgers shouldn't have been able to get something going against him, but quietly, he's having a very good year.
Going into the last inning, the Dodgers still had a chance, even though they were playing like they were down 10. Hong-Chih Kuo was activated before today's game, and I'm guessing that was a bad idea. He immediately walked Maybin and surrendered a single to Hawpe. After striking out Chris Denorfia, the next two hitters reached on a Jorge Cantu RBI single and Will Venable's beaning to load the bases.
Overall, Kuo lasted 1/3 of an inning for two hits, four runs, one walk, one hit-by-pitch, and one strikeout. Ouch. His ERA has ballooned up to 15.00 with a 2.67 WHIP. It's hard to imagine that this was the same guy who last year was practically unhittable. He doesn't look anything close to that guy anymore. Couple that with the fact that he has a fragile arm, and it's scary.
So scary in fact that I can't help but wonder if the Dodgers got everything they could out of him last year. For those of you who have forgotten, check out these numbers from 2010: 1.20 ERA, 0.78 WHIP, 12 saves, 21 holds, and 73 K's. Now he isn't nearly as feared as he once was. We can only hope it turns around, but for the first time, I'm having some serious doubts.
About the only thing that went right was Andre Ethier extended his amazing hitting streak to 27 games. His lone hit came on a seventh inning single off Hawpe's glove at first. Since Hawpe had to dive after it, there was no doubt it was a hit.
Garland had a rough second, but he settled down nicely to finish at six innings pitched, three hits, three runs, four walks, and eight strikeouts. Even with the loss today, he's done a good job as the last man in the rotation. Too bad his offense didn't give him a chance to atone for that one bad inning today.
For the Dodgers, after winning six of eight game back in April, they've now dropped four of six since then to stand at 14-15. It's not hard to see why they haven't been able to find consistency: lack of clutch hitting and bullpen issues. Today they grounded into two double plays and couldn't score a run. The bullpen has given away any chance at winning the last two games. It's obviously not a good combination.
Tony Gwynn should be thanked once again for that spectacular diving catch to seal Friday's win. Could you imagine if he didn't make that play and the Dodgers got swept? Wow, that would have been ugly.
Nonetheless, the Dodgers will have to pick themselves up as the Cubs come to town for three. The Dodgers took two of three from them a week ago in Chicago. Clayton Kershaw will take the mound looking for his third win.
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