Dodgers are laid to waste by Padres, 10-5
Wait till next year?
Coming off a dreary 1-5 trip blamed on their weak offense, the Dodgers returned to Dodger Stadium and stroked seven hits — including five consecutive — in the first three innings Monday in the opening game of their showdown series with the first-place San Diego Padres.
And still the Dodgers couldn’t score for starter Hiroki Kuroda.
So the Padres did instead, with three-run home runs by Will Venable and Chase Headley powering San Diego to a 10-5 win that extended the Dodgers’ losing streak to six games — their second six-game skid since the All-Star break — and buried them further in the National League West.
In fourth place in the division, the Dodgers are now nine games behind the surprising Padres, who also took two of three games from the Dodgers last week in San Diego. The teams have nine more games against each other this season.
One bright spot for the Dodgers: Center fielder Matt Kemp had five of the team’s 14 hits — including a solo home run — for the first time in his career, and had three runs batted in. However, Kemp also was part a costly baserunning gaffe in the first inning.
Monday’s game exemplified the Dodgers’ growing frustration as their playoff hopes dimmed further, with the team again unable to give their starting pitcher much early support.
With two outs in the first inning, Kemp and James Loney hit back-to-back singles to center field off San Diego starter Clayton Richard. Casey Blake did the same and Kemp headed home. But just before Kemp, who appeared to be running at less than full speed, crossed the plate, Loney was tagged out as he dived into third base. Because that was the third out, Kemp’s run didn’t count.
Dodgers Manager Joe Torre said Kemp and Loney “were both at fault.”
“One runner didn’t run fast enough,” he said of Kemp, “and the other ran too fast,” meaning Loney should have known whether Kemp could score before trying to reach third base. “James certainly has to be mindful of watching the guy in front of him and making sure he’s going to score.”
Kemp conceded, “I probably should have run a little bit harder” on the play. As for his five-hit night, Kemp said it wasn’t wasted and that he would “try to make something good out of it tomorrow.”
Overall, Torre said he was happy that “we got a lot of hits tonight, we certainly were more aggressive,” but he acknowledged that the team’s confidence right now “is not good.”
Andre Ethier, back after missing two games for the birth of his second child, and Russell Martin singled to start the second inning. But Ryan Theriot grounded out, Kuroda struck out and Scott Podsednik flied out.
Five consecutive hits, no runs.
San Diego then went to work on Kuroda in the fourth inning. After Chase Headley and Yorvit Torrealba singled — Torrealba’s infield single extending his hitting streak to 15 games — Venable hit his home run to right-center field.
The Padres added two more when recently acquired Miguel Tejada’s bloop single to center scored Chris Denorfia and Richard.
Down five runs, Kuroda was lifted for a pinch-hitter in the fourth. He gave up five runs (four earned) in four innings.
james.peltz@latimes.com
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