Padres steal home, victory from Dodgers

Not even a big night from Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier could save the Dodgers on Saturday.

The Dodgers’ two most productive batters combined for six hits and drove four runs, but Everth Cabrera and Will Venable stole the show in the top of the ninth to give the San Diego Padres a 7-6 win in front of a crowd of 54,014 at Dodger Stadium.

Cabrera, who had come in as a pinch-runner for Yonder Alonso, stole home. Venable scored from second on the same play after Jansen overthrew home plate trying to nab Cabrera, and the Padres slipped away with the win.

But early on, it appeared the Dodgers would roll.

Padres starting pitcher Edinson Volquez allowed five consecutive batters to reach base before an out was recorded in the bottom of the third. With the bases loaded, Ethier’s single brought in Bobby Abreu. Juan Rivera walked to bring in Mark Ellis and give the Dodgers a 3-1 lead.

Volquez escaped the inning, retiring the next three batters. But the Dodgers’ lineup remained hot.

In the fifth, with Rivera attempting to steal second, Padres catcher Yasmani Grandal misfired on the throw and Rivera proceeded to third base. Adam Kennedy followed with a double, bringing Rivera home and giving the Dodgers a 4-2 advantage.

Dodgers starter Aaron Harang gave up four hits and three earned runs in seven innings. He gave up two homers, though, allowing the Padres to keep the game close.

In the bottom of the sixth, with the score knotted at four apiece, Ethier stepped to the plate with Kemp on first. On the fourth pitch, Ethier crushed a two-seam fastball into the right-field bleachers.

Ellis, who rejoined the club last week after spending time on the disabled list, had another productive night. A day after his two-run homer lifted the Dodgers to victory, he was two for four with two runs scored Saturday.

Kemp improved to 10 for 26 (.385) with runners in scoring position with his second hit of the night. The hit gave him his 14th multi-hit game of the season.

Ethier improved his career batting average against Volquez to .600 (six for 10), a clip that includes three doubles and five RBIs.

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