Dodgers get only two hits but make them count in 1-0 win over Padres

They were no-hit for 8 2/3 innings.

The turnout at their ballpark was called “pathetic” by Joe Buck on Fox’s regional telecast, as less than half of the announced crowd of 29,744 appeared to be there.

Their cash-strapped owner was the target of a demonstration down the street.

The Dodgers didn’t care.

They celebrated a 1-0 victory over the San Diego Padres on Saturday as if they had clinched a playoff berth, one player after another piling on top of Dioner Navarro.

Navarro’s single to right-center field in the ninth inning drove in Juan Uribe, who had doubled against Luke Gregerson moments earlier to break up a no-hitter.

“We’re about the game,” Navarro said. “It could be five fans, it could be 5,000, it could be 50,000. Nobody cares about that. We have to win games. We know if we win games, we’ll start getting more fans.”

The Dodgers, who have won three games in a row, are no longer alone at the bottom of the National League West, the victory moving them into a tie with the Padres for fourth place. They are 11 games under .500.

“We are kind of finding a way to win those close ones,” Manager Don Mattingly said. “You find a way to get a run there, scratch a run, it’s what we have to do. It would have been a tough one with the way we pitched not to scratch out a run there.”

This was the Dodgers’ second 1-0 victory in as many days over the Padres, who fielded a lineup that has combined for 19 home runs. Dodgers center fielder Matt Kemp has 22.

On their way to pitching their third consecutive shutout, the Dodgers held the Padres to a fifth-inning single by Cameron Maybin against starter Rubby De La Rosa.

De La Rosa’s counterpart, Aaron Harang, was pitching for the first time in exactly one month because of a bruised foot. The Dodgers couldn’t hit him. They also couldn’t hit Josh Spence, Chad Qualls and Mike Adams.

And they nearly couldn’t hit Gregerson, who struck out Kemp and got Loney to ground out in the ninth inning.

The Dodgers’ first hit came from a hitter who hasn’t hit.

Juan Uribe, who batted .190 in his previous 26 games, lined a ball over the head of left fielder Chris Denorfia.

“I knew it could be a double,” he said.

Uribe was right.

Navarro followed that up with a ball that dropped into left center field.

“I knew I hit it hard enough, but soft enough to drop,” Navarro said.

He was also right.

Recalling what happened when he had a walk-off hit in May, Navarro ran into left field, only to be met with the same fate.

Kemp picked him up and speared him into the ground.

“He can’t run from me, dude,” Kemp said.

Others piled on.

“Punches in the ribs here and there,” Navarro said.

Fox’s broadcasters weren’t moved.

As cameras showed the home team celebrating on a field that was surrounded by empty seats, Buck said sarcastically, “Break up the Dodgers.”

dylan.hernandez@latimes.com