Dodgers’ second team falls to San Diego Padres, 2-0

Those party-happy Dodgers trotted out their JV swim team in San Diego on Friday and the results were of the predictable variety.

At least predictable if you figure the Dodgers were probably a tad worn out from celebrating after clinching the National League West the previous night at that pool party in Arizona.

The Dodgers did not have a single regular in the lineup to meet the Padres, causing Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) to call for an immediate Senate investigation, and they fell meekly 2-0 to rookie left-hander Robbie Erlin.

BOX SCORE: San Diego 2, Dodgers 0

The Dodgers would like to finish with a better record than their playoff opponents to ensure home-field advantage, but apparently not all that much. They have eight regular-season games remaining.

It was a long grind to Thursday’s clinching, so the regulars -- most of them nursing some kind of minor injury anyway -- took a seat on the bench. Which, if nothing else, gave them one impressive bench.

The one Dodgers player whom Friday meant something to was right-hander Edison Volquez, the former Padre who still harbors slim hopes of making the playoff roster.

Volquez pitched fairly well, going 6 1/3 innings and allowing two runs on five hits and six strikeouts, though he did walk four.

He gave up an unearned run in the first after Dee Gordon, still highly erratic at shortstop, threw away a Chris Denorfia grounder for a two-base error. He stole second and scored on a groundout.

Second baseman Jedd Gyorko scored the second with a solo home run in the fifth. It was his 20th of the season.

Carlos Marmol, another fringe possibility for the playoff bullpen, followed Volquez and in his 1 1/3 innings showed why he can be very good (three strikeouts) and very bad (three walks).

Erlin (3-3) was making his eighth career start. The 22-year-old went a career-high 7 2/3 innings, holding the Dodgers scoreless on four hits and a walk, striking out seven. And it counted exactly as if he had faced the varsity.