Sep 3, 2008 - 2:24 AM
0 shoutsBy Jonathan Raber PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer
LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- Suddenly, the Los Angeles Dodgers find themselves back in the thick of a playoff race.
Andre Ethier finished a double shy of the cycle and Manny Ramirez homered, backing a strong performance from rookie Clayton Kershaw as the Dodgers posted an 8-4 victory over the San Diego Padres on Tuesday.
Blake DeWitt also homered and James Loney had two RBI, helping Los Angeles (69-70) to its fourth straight win and moving 1 1/2 games behind the first-place Arizona Diamondbacks (70-68) in the National League West.
"We hope we can build on this," Dodgers manager Joe Torre said.
Just last week, the Dodgers looked like a team which saw its postseason hopes fading quickly. The Dodgers lost eight in a row and 10 of 11 on a disastrous road trip to drop as many as 4 1/2 games out of first.
"We knew we were going to snap out of it eventually," Ethier said.
But, they are back in contention thanks to a recently sizzling offense and a strong performance from their young lefthander.
Kershaw (3-5), who was recalled from Class AAA Las Vegas prior to the game after a five-day stay, gave up three runs and three hits in seven innings, walking three while striking out six.
"That was about as smooth as he's been," Torre said.
Kershaw, who was sent down knowing that he would make his next scheduled start, wasn't fazed by the quick turnaround.
"It's not too big of deal, it's just one extra flight," Kershaw said. "I got to stay in a different hotel, different atmosphere, different group of guys. It was a good change of pace, it wasn't too bad."
Ethier reached base four times, singling in the first before logging a triple in the third. He walked in the fourth and stroked a solo homer in the sixth. The 26-year-old right fielder came up in the eighth looking to complete the cycle, but hit a weak groundball to second base.
"It's natural (to think about the cycle)," Ethier said. "I just went up with the same approach, trying to drive the ball the other way, and I didn't execute it too well."
The Dodgers got to Padres starter Cha Seung Baek (4-9) early and often.
Ramirez gave Los Angeles a 2-0 lead in the first inning with a two-run shot - his 10th since joining the team. He then added a sacrifice fly the following inning.
The Dodgers plated four more runs in the fourth. DeWitt went deep to start the frame before Loney plated two with a two-out single. Russell Martin capped the scoring, adding an RBI single of his own to push the lead to 7-0.
Baek was roughed up in his first career start against the Dodgers, allowing seven runs on eight hits in 3 2/3 innings.
"When I was behind in the count, I didn't make (a good) pitch," Baek said.
From the Bleachers
-
SAN DIEGO: 4
LOS ANGELES: 8
Final
Sep 3 12:54 AM -
NL
AT LA DODGERS - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY KEVIN KOUZMANOFF SCORED BRIAN GILES AND LUIS
RODRIGUEZ.
SITUATION: 3 RUNS IN, K KOUZMANOFF ON FIRST, 0 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: SAN DIEGO 4
LA DODGERS 8 TOP, 8TH
DUE UP FOR SAN DIEGO: A GONZALEZ (.278, 0-FOR-3)
Sep 3 12:30 AM -
NL
AT LA DODGERS - SCORING UPDATE
DOUBLE BY LUIS RODRIGUEZ SCORED SEAN KAZMAR.
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, L RODRIGUEZ ON SECOND, B GILES ON THIRD, 0 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: SAN DIEGO 2
LA DODGERS 8 TOP, 8TH
DUE UP FOR SAN DIEGO: K KOUZMANOFF (.271, 0-FOR-3)
Sep 3 12:29 AM -
NL
AT LA DODGERS - SCORING UPDATE
GROUND OUT BY NICK HUNDLEY SCORED CHASE HEADLEY.
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, C AMBRES ON SECOND, 2 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: SAN DIEGO 1
LA DODGERS 8 TOP, 7TH
DUE UP FOR SAN DIEGO: M ANTONELLI (.167, 0-FOR-2)
Sep 3 12:08 AM -
NL
AT LA DODGERS - SCORING UPDATE
SOLO HOME RUN BY ANDRE ETHIER (19) TO CENTER WITH 0 OUT IN
THE 6TH OFF BRIAN FALKENBORG.
CURRENT SCORE: SAN DIEGO 0, LA DODGERS 8
DUE UP FOR LA DODGERS: M RAMIREZ (.418, 1-FOR-2, SF, HR, 3 RBI)
Sep 2 11:54 PM -
NL
AT LA DODGERS - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY RUSSELL MARTIN SCORED ANDRE ETHIER.
SITUATION: 4 RUNS IN, R MARTIN ON FIRST, J LONEY ON SECOND, 2 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: SAN DIEGO 0
LA DODGERS 7 BOTTOM, 4TH
DUE UP FOR LA DODGERS: C BLAKE (.274, 0-FOR-2)
Sep 2 11:22 PM -
NL
AT LA DODGERS - SCORING UPDATE
SOLO HOME RUN BY BLAKE DEWITT (6) TO RIGHT WITH 0 OUT IN
THE 4TH OFF CHA SEUNG BAEK.
CURRENT SCORE: SAN DIEGO 0, LA DODGERS 4
DUE UP FOR LA DODGERS: A BERROA (.231, 1-FOR-1)
Sep 2 11:04 PM -
NL
AT LA DODGERS - SCORING UPDATE
SACRIFICE FLY BY MANNY RAMIREZ SCORED ANDRE ETHIER.
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, NONE ON, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: SAN DIEGO 0
LA DODGERS 3 BOTTOM, 3RD
DUE UP FOR LA DODGERS: J LONEY (.305, 0-FOR-1)
Sep 2 10:51 PM -
NL
AT LA DODGERS - SCORING UPDATE
TWO-RUN HOME RUN BY MANNY RAMIREZ (10) TO LEFT CENTER WITH
1 OUT IN THE 1ST OFF CHA SEUNG BAEK SCORED ANDRE ETHIER.
CURRENT SCORE: SAN DIEGO 0, LA DODGERS 2
DUE UP FOR LA DODGERS: J LONEY (.305, 11 HR, 74 RBI)
Sep 2 10:21 PM
