Dodgers' Bats Fall Silent

The Los Angeles Dodgers fell to the San Diego Padres 3-1, splitting the 2-game series. San Diego struck early, tagging Clayton Kershaw for two runs in the first inning. Kershaw gave up one more run in the third before he was lifted. The bullpen then shutdown the Padres for the rest of the game, but the Dodger bats could not do their part. LA hit a combined 1-for-1o with runners in scoring position, and scratched out only four hits. Andre Ethier had the lone RBI, and Juan Pierre scored the only run. Casey Blake hit a leadoff-double but failed to score. Kevin Correia pitched six innings of one-run ball for the Padres. Both Tony Gwynn, Jr. and David Eckstein had a hit and scored a run, and both Kevin Kouzmanoff and Chase Headley singled, doubled, and drove in a run.

Power Surge Lifts Dodgers

The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the San Diego Padres 6-4, their 40th win of the season. The Dodgers are the first team to reach the 40-win mark. LA received most of its offense from the home run, as Andre Ethier, Orlando Hudson and Matt Kemp each went deep; Ethier going yard twice. Kemp totaled three base-hits and 2 RBI's, and Rafael Furcal had a hit, run scored, and run-batted-in. Casey Blake scored a run, and Russell Martin had two hits. Chad Billingsley had a shaky five-and-two-thirds innings, giving up three runs on eight hits and two walks with five strikeouts, but still got his eighth win of the season. Jonathan Broxton gave up a run in the ninth, but held on to get his 14th save. Tony Gwynn, Jr. made his Padre-debut, getting three hits and scoring a run. David Eckstein also had three hits and a run scored, and also drove in a run. Kevin Kouzmanoff had a two-run single.