Padres Squeak Out a Win; We Realize Puig and Kershaw are Human

 Dodgers 2 5 1

Padres 6 12 0

WP- Marquis (7-2)

LP- Kershaw (5-4)

HR- Gyorko (7), Van Slyke (6)

Before the Dodgers took the field on Wednesday night, there was a bit of sad news announced by the team. Scott Elbert will undergo Tommy John surgery next week in order to repair a torn elbow ligament. The lefty will be out of commission for 12-16 months, and this will be his third elbow surgery. We wish Elbert the best, and I hope that he will be able to return to the mound healthy in the future.

Yasiel Puig goes hitless in his third game. Photo: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

Fueled by Yasiel Puig‘s epic first two career games, the Dodgers looked to sweep the Padres before a tough Atlanta team comes into town for a four-game set beginning Thursday. Clayton Kershaw was not on his A game, but he still put in a solid start over 6 innings while allowing 2 earned runs on 7 hits with 9 strikeouts. Unfortunately the Dodgers offense could only muster 5 hits off the San Diego pitching staff, and Kershaw ended up with his fourth loss on the year.

Yasiel Puig went hitless with two strikeouts, but we can’t expect him to have monster games every night. He seemed to be pressing a little, but it could have been because he was trying so hard to contribute. The Dodger bullpen was horrendous once again, and Donnie left Paco in way too long. The lefty ended up making 40 pitches and allowed 3 additional runs to the Padres in the ninth with a little help from J.P. Howell.

Clayton Kershaw goes to the mound in the top of the first and quickly retires Chris Denorfia on a groundout,  and then the southpaw strikes out Everth Cabrera. Chase Headley is able to single down the left field line with two outs, but Enemy #1 Carlos Quentin pops out to Skip Schumaker at second for the final out.

The Puig Alert sounds as the right-hander leads off the bottom of the first inning against Jason Marquis. Puig grounds out to third for the first out. Schumaker grounds out to second. Adrian Gonzalez grounds out (the third groundout of the inning), and the Dodgers go down in order.

In the second, Kershaw gets the first two outs quickly again by inducing a fly out from Jedd Gyorko

Jason Marquis stifled the Dodgers through five innings before allowing a hit. Photo: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

and striking out Kyle Blanks. Jesus Guzman singles and advances to second on a throwing error by Hanley Ramirez. Hanley threw the ball wide of first. The Padres get on the board after Guzman plates a run on a single by Yasmani Grandal. Yasiel Puig bobbles the ball in right field allowing the slow Guzman to easily score. Kersh strikes out Marquis to end the inning, but the Pads lead 1-0.

Marquis sends the Dodgers down 1-2-3 again in the bottom half of the second.

Kershaw walks Denorfia to start off the top of the third. Cabrera follows with a single. Chase Headley lines out to Puig who makes a perfect throw to third, but Denorfia just makes it to the bag ahead of the tag by Uribe who wasn’t in the best position behind the bag. Carlos Quentin lines out to Andre Ethier in center field who makes the second great throw of the inning, but this time he is able to double up Cabrera at first! Ethier, we still remember that you have a good arm too!

In the bottom of the third, Juan Uribe hits a deep fly ball to left field, but Quentin catches it at the warning track just shy of a homerun. Tim Federowicz and Clayton Kershaw both go down on strikes, and the Dodgers remain hitless.

The Padres add a second run in the top of the fourth off a solo homerun by Jedd Gyorko.

Marquis is cruising, and he induces another three groundouts out of the Dodgers in the home half of the fourth. He has now retired 12 in a row.

Kersh whiffs Marquis and Denorfia in the top of the fifth for his fifth and sixth strikeouts. Cabrera comes up with his second hit of the game, a single, with two outs. Headley draws a walk. Kersh strikes out Quentin, and the Padres strand the two runners.

Clayton Kershaw strikes out 9 but exits the game losing. Photo: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

Marquis gives up back-to-back walks to Ethier and Van Slyke with one out in the bottom of the fifth inning. Uribe just barely misses a double down the third baseline as the ump calls the ball foul. Uribe ends up striking out on a sinker on the next pitch. FedEx grounds into a force out, and Marquis still has a no-hitter intact through five innings.

Kershaw is frustrated with himself after he allows a lead-off walk to Gyorko. Blanks grounds out to second as Schumaker smothers the ball to prevent a base hit. Gyorko moves over to second on the play. Guzman then doubles to right field allowing Gyorko to score, 3-0 Padres. Grandal reaches safely on a fielder’s choice after the Dodgers botch a rundown on a broken bat comebacker. Guzman was caught in between second and third, but Uribe fails to tag him out in the pickle (and he also drops the ball afterwards). The Padres now have runners at second and third with one out. A tiring Kersh strikes out Marquis. Don Mattingly goes out to the mound, but he just has a short talk with Kersh and leaves him in to get the last out. Kershaw strikes out Denorfia with a big rainbow curve to end the inning!

Clayton Kershaw pitched 6 innings and allowed 3 runs on 7 hits with 9 strikeouts and 3 walks on 120 pitches.

In the bottom of the sixth, Kyle Blanks makes a diving catch in right field to rob pinch-hitter Jerry Hairston Jr. of a base hit. Yasiel Puig strikes out swinging. The Dodgers finally get a hit off Marquis as Skip Schumaker doubles off the center field wall. Adrian Gonzalez knocks in Schumaker with a single off the glove of Gyorko into right field, and it’s now 3-1. Hanley strikes out, but the Dodgers thankfully end the no-hitter and shutout.

Peter Moylan will come out of the Dodger bullpen to pitch the seventh. The Aussie allows a single to Quentin, but the Friars are unable to do much else in the scoreless frame.

In the bottom of the seventh, Scott Van Slyke clobbers his sixth homerun! The left field solo shot brings the Dodgers one run closer as the Friars lead 3-2. That’s going to be all for Jason Marquis. Tim Stauffer, a righty, comes in to face Uribe. Uribe chases a ball well off the plate, and down he goes on strikes. FedEx singles to right. Nick Punto strikes out to end the inning.

Blanks flies out for the first out of the inning against Ronald Belisario in the top of the eighth. Guzman singles, and Mattingly will bring in Paco Rodriguez to face Grandal who he promptly walks. Paco strikes out Mark Kotsay. Denorfia grounds into a force out, and the Dodgers escape the inning unscathed.

Dale Thayer will pitch the bottom of the eighth for San Diego. Yasiel Puig strikes out for the second time, and he goes 0-for-4 on the night. Schumaker lines out, and Gonzo flies out.

Hanley Ramirez makes a costly error in the second inning. Photo: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

Paco is still in for the ninth. Cabrera singles for his third hit of the night to lead-off. With Headley at-bat, Cabrera steals his 25th base of the season. Paco walks Headley. With Quentin at the plate, the umpires have a little meeting after Bud Black questions the count. The scoreboard read 2-2, but it was really 3-2. Paco proceeds to walk Quentin to load the bases up. J.P. Howell will come in and try to get an out. Paco made 40 pitches which was way too many. Let’s hope Donnie doesn’t blow out his arm like Torre and him did with Elbert. Gyorko’s high fly ball to center is plenty deep for a run to score, and it’s now 4-2. Blanks singles, and the bases are loaded up again. Will Venable follows up with a single as well, and the Padres plate another run. Grandal’s fly ball to right field allows another run to come home, and it’s now 6-2. Alexi Amarista flies out, and the inning is mercifully over.

Luke Gregerson, who has a 1.05 ERA comes in to shut the door on the Dodgers in the bottom of the ninth. Hanley Ramirez doubles down the third base line to lead-off. Hanley takes third on a groundout by Dre. Van Slyke strikes out. Mark Ellis flies out to end the game.

The Dodgers drop to 25-33, and they fail to dig themselves out of the last place hole.

Tomorrow the first place Braves come into town for an extended four-game set. Last time the Dodgers faced the Braves it was in Atlanta when they got swept in a three-game disaster of a series. This time the Dodgers will have their secret weapon, Puig. Zack Greinke will counter Tim Hudson at 7:10 p.m.