Leave it to the Dodgers and Padres to play a game like this.
After being no-hit through 26 outs on Saturday, Juan Uribe's double led to Dioner Navarro's walk-off single as the Dodgers beat the Padres, 1-0. Both teams combined for a blistering three hits. Lost in the shuffle was that this was the third straight shutout for the Dodgers, who have not done so since June of 1991.
It's safe to say that it'll probably be a long time before you see a game like this again. For the Padres, they have to be feeling sick to their stomachs. One day after blowing a bases loaded, nobody out opportunity to at least tie the game in the ninth, they don't allow a hit through 8 2/3 innings and still don't win. Wow, that's pretty bad.
Aaron Harang was making his first start in exactly one month after sitting out with a stress fracture in his right foot. You wouldn't know he missed any time, because the Dodgers' offense was just lost. Thankfully he was pulled after six innings and 95 pitches.
About the only time the Dodgers could do anything against Harang was when Andre Ethier and Matt Kemp took walks in the first, but James Loney popped up. In the third, Rubby De La Rosa was robbed of a hit by Orlando Hudson at second. Tony Gwynn walked, but was soon erased on a stolen base attempt.
De La Rosa was also throwing blanks, as he lasted six innings for one hit, no runs, four walks, and eight strikeouts. He ran into some trouble in the fifth when Chris Denorfia walked leading off and Cameron "Tiki" Maybin singled. De La Rosa got the next three in order to prevent a run from scoring.
Josh Spence was the first to relieve Harang in the seventh. He got Ethier swinging for the first out. Chad Qualls entered and saw Kemp reach on an error at short by Jason Bartlett. Loney was intentionally walked, only to see Uribe and Navarro fail to come through. Thankfully that soon changed.
The Dodgers again put two on in the eighth on a walk and error, but still couldn't get that one hit. At this point, it was looking like the Padres had a shot at their first ever no-hitter. That would be the icing on this season's cake, getting no-hit by a team that has never done it before! The only problem, of course, was that the Padres couldn't score themselves.
Luke Gregerson got Kemp and Loney for two outs in the ninth. Just when it looked like we'd be going extras, Uribe lined one to the wall in left for a double. Navarro looped a single into center to end the game.
Who knows what would have happened if Harang could have kept going, but his relievers did about everything they could to seal the deal. The problem, as is usually the case for the Padres, was their horrific offense. Take away the Mariners, and the Padres would be in dead last in so many offensive categories. It's a wonder how Adrian Gonzalez ever put up big numbers there.
De La Rosa has now put up three straight great starts, allowing only four runs in his last 20 innings. Naturally, he doesn't even have a win to show for it, and has two losses instead. Like the Padres, the Dodgers don't exactly have their starting pitchers' backs on most nights.
The bullpen did a great job in holding the Padres down. Matt Guerrier, Mike MacDougal, and Blake Hawksworth threw three perfect innings. MacDougal has the strange line of a 1.80 ERA with a 1.43 WHIP. That shows he's letting people reach, but knows how to get out of trouble. He's always had a lively arm, and often uncontrollable, so I can't say I'm surprised.
At the start of this homestand, the Dodgers had to like their chances of getting some wins with seven games against the Mets and Padres. Well, they soon found themselves down 0-3 and nearly getting swept by the Mets. Clayton Kershaw was able to get the first win, and they've picked up two more since. I guess it's better to get the losses over with first and gets some wins before the All-Star break.
A win on Sunday would make it a 4-3 homestand, which is pretty good considering how poorly the Dodgers have played in the first half. Ted Lilly, who has underachieved this season with a 4.94 ERA, will look to get some positive vibes back with a win.
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