Streaking Dodgers Sweep First-Place Padres: A Three-Game Recap

On Sunday May 16, one run was all the Dodgers needed in the final match of a three-game series to complete a sweep of the first place San Diego Padres.

The win was their seventh in a row.

Entering the series, the Padres found themselves returning home fresh-off their second sweep of the Giants this year.  After a successful road trip, they were looking to find similar results against the Dodgers in San Diego.

However, the Dodgers had other things in mind after also sweeping their last opponents—the Arizona Diamondbacks. 

In their first match up of the season, the visiting Dodgers gave the Padres a taste of their own style of play with some timely hitting and solid pitching.

The Dodgers pitching—which has been a weakness all season long—outperformed the Padres pitching staff, which still leads the National League in ERA with 2.69 after Sunday's game.

Padres hitters were limited to one hit with runners in scoring position, going a combined 1-for-12 in the series. 

Los Angeles hitters took care of business when it mattered, batting a total 7-for-19 (.368) with runners in scoring position (RISP) in the series.

GAME 1—Dodgers 4, Padres 3

Dodgers RISP: 3-10 (.300), Padres RISP: 1-5 (.200)

Another solid pitching performance was turned in by San Diego starter Jon Garland 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 2 KOs.  But it was a seventh inning two-run home run from Matt Kemp which gave the Dodgers the lead for good. 

Ramon Ortiz, 4.0 IP, 3 ER, 2 KOs, with his first start of the season became the eighth different starter for the Dodgers, threw 86 pitches.

Five Dodgers pitchers came out of the bullpen to back up Ortiz, and pitched five shutout innings.

GAME 2—Dodgers 4, Padres 1

Dodgers RISP: 3-7 (.429), Padres RISP: 0-5 (.000)

Clayton Kershaw (3-2) pitched seven strong innings, allowing just one run while striking out seven.  Ramon Troncoso and Jonathan Broxton pitched flawless eighth and ninth innings, respectively. 

James Loney, batting cleanup, hit his fourth homer of the season, a solo shot in the second inning.  Jamey Carroll and Russell Martin drove in two more runs in the fifth inning, and Garrett Anderson, playing for the injured Andre Either, had an RBI triple in the sixth inning.

The Padres sole run came in when Scott Hairston scored on a Chase Headley ground-out via fielder's choice.

GAME 3—Dodgers 1, Padres 0

Dodgers RISP: 1-2 (.500), Padres RISP: 0-2 (.000)

Chad Billingsley (4-2) 7.1 IP, 4 H, 6 KOs along with Hong-Chih Kuo 0.2 IP, 0 H and closer Jonathan Broxton 1.0, 0 H—who picked up three saves over the weekend—combined for a shutout. 

Padres rookie starter Wade LeBlanc (2-1) 7 IP, 1 ER, 4 KOs only allowed two hits.  He was pitching no-hit ball until Russell Martin hit a line-dive RBI that zipped right by his head.

The timely hit from the leadoff-man in the sixth inning drove in Jamey Carrol from second base to score the only run of the game.

NOTES

Despite suffering three consecutive losses and being swept for the first time this season, the weekend series left the Padres with one consolation—the match up drew near sell-out crowds at Petco Park in San Diego.

An estimated 126,819 people were in attendance over the three games.