Padres blank Dodgers, lead NL West by 2
September 9, 2010
SAN DIEGO (AP)—Rookie Cory Luebke(notes) struck out seven in six sparkling innings,Luis Durango(notes) hit a key two-run single and the San Diego Padres added to theirlead in the NL West with a 4-0 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesdaynight.
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Ch… AP – Sep 8, 10:37 pm EDT LAD-SD Gallery function prev_photo() { if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index > 0) { goto_photo(YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index – 1); } else { goto_photo(YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_last_index); }}function next_photo() { if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index 0) { YAHOO.util.Dom.addClass(article_carousel_prev, prev); YAHOO.util.Dom.removeClass(article_carousel_prev, prev_disabled); } else { YAHOO.util.Dom.addClass(article_carousel_prev, prev_disabled); YAHOO.util.Dom.removeClass(article_carousel_prev, prev); } if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index < YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_last_index) { YAHOO.util.Dom.addClass(article_carousel_next, next); YAHOO.util.Dom.removeClass(article_carousel_next, next_disabled); } else { YAHOO.util.Dom.addClass(article_carousel_next, next_disabled); YAHOO.util.Dom.removeClass(article_carousel_next, next); }*/}function goto_photo(p) { if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos) { for(i = 0; i < YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos.length; i++) { if (i == p) { YAHOO.util.Dom.setStyle(YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos[i], display, ); } else { YAHOO.util.Dom.setStyle(YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos[i], display, none); } } if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_page) { YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_page.innerHTML =(p + 1); YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index = p; } } update_buttons();}YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_init = function () { YAHOO.util.Event.addListener(article_carousel_prev, click, prev_photo); YAHOO.util.Event.addListener(article_carousel_next, click, next_photo); YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index = 0; YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_page = YAHOO.util.Dom.get(carousel_page); YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos = YAHOO.util.Dom.getElementsByClassName(item, div, leadphoto); if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos) { goto_photo(0); }}YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_init(); Series at a Glance LA Dodgers 2 San Diego 4 Mon, Sep 6 – Final LA Dodgers 1 San Diego 2 Tue, Sep 7 – Final LA Dodgers 0 San Diego 4 Wed, Sep 8 – Final
San Diego has won three consecutive games since losing 10 in a row and istwo ahead of San Francisco after the Giants lost 3-1 at Arizona. The Padres willhost the Giants in an important four-game series beginning Thursday.
Luebke (1-1) gave San Diego a big lift in his second major league start,holding the Dodgers to two hits. It was a much better showing than his bigleague debut, when he surrendered a pair of two-run homers over five innings ina 4-3 loss against Colorado.
Four relievers combined to finish the three-hitter. Luke Gregerson(notes) got thefinal five outs for his second save in seven opportunities.
Matt Kemp(notes) doubled in the second, Rafael Furcal(notes) reached on an infield singlein the third and James Loney(notes) singled in the eighth for the Dodgers’ only hits.
It was San Diego’s 17th shutout, tied for second in the majors withPhiladelphia and trailing the New York Mets by one.
Chad Billingsley(notes) (11-9) allowed four runs and six hits in 5 1-3 innings forLos Angeles, dropping to 10-6 with a 2.68 ERA in 22 career games against thePadres.
The right-hander had not allowed a run in 13 1-3 innings over two previousstarts at Petco Park this year, both Los Angeles’ shutout wins.
But Billingsley was not as sharp in this one, tying his season high withfive walks and constantly having to work out of trouble.
He twice retired Yorvit Torrealba(notes) with the bases loaded and two outs. ButSan Diego increased its 1-0 lead in the sixth inning.
Will Venable(notes) led off with a bloop single that just made the outfield grass.Everth Cabrera(notes) got aboard with a bunt hit. Pinch-hitter David Eckstein(notes) thensacrificed but catcher Rod Barajas(notes) tried unsuccessfully to force Venable atthird.
Durango followed with a two-run single and, one out later, Adrian Gonzalez(notes)added a sacrifice fly.
Gonzalez also singled in the fifth to extend his hitting streak to 11 games,tying his season high.
The Padres scored a run in the third when Durango singled, stole second andcame home on Miguel Tejada’s(notes) two-out single.
Los Angeles (69-71) has lost five straight and seven of eight to drop twogames below .500 for first time since May 10.
NOTES: Dodgers manager Joe Torre used five consecutive pinch hitters in theeighth inning, including 33-year-old John Lindsey(notes), who was recalled for AndreEthier(notes) before he had a chance to hit. Lindsey had not appeared in a game sincehe was called up to the majors on Monday for the first time after spending 15years in the minors. … Billingsley had his streak of allowing three or fewerearned runs in nine straight starts stopped. … Padres RHP Tim Stauffer(notes), whomade an emergency start Monday in place of a sick Mat Latos(notes), will get anotherstart on Saturday against San Francisco. … Dodgers LHP Clayton Kershaw(notes) will bepushed back in the rotation from Sunday until Tuesday at San Francisco. Torresaid Kershaw, 22, will make the rest of his starts without any restrictions oninnings. Kershaw already has pitched a career-high 183 1-3 innings.
