Padres 2 - 3 Dodgers
Final
  for this game

Gwynn saves the day as Dodgers down Padres

Apr 30, 2011 - 6:03 AM Los Angeles, CA (Sports Network) - Late-inning replacement Tony Gwynn made a diving catch to save a near collapse from closer Jonathan Broxton, as the Dodgers held on for a 3-2 win over San Diego.

Juan Uribe hit the go-ahead homer in the fourth inning and Andre Ethier extended his major league record for the longest April hitting streak to 25 games for Los Angeles.

Ethier doubled to right field in the fifth inning. It's the longest hitting streak in the majors since Victor Martinez had a 25-game run from August 28 - September 26, 2009. Ethier's 25-game string is tied for the second-longest in Los Angeles Dodgers history with Willie Davis holding the record at 31 contests from August 1 - September 3, 1969.

"In the fifth I was looking for a sinking fastball, I put a good swing on it and turned it over," Ethier said. "I'm enjoying every moment of this."

Broxton, who managed to get his sixth save, nearly blew the opportunity in the ninth. He retired the first two batters, but Will Venable singled, was allowed to advance to second and then scored on Orlando Hudson's base hit to left. Chase Headley grounded a single to right field to put runners at the corners.

Nick Hundley was up next and drilled the first pitch, with the ball tailing to the left field line. Gwynn raced over and dove to make the game-ending grab.

"Tony made a great catch," LA's Matt Kemp said. "When Tony gets in the game, he makes things happen."

Ted Lilly (2-2) got the win, allowing five hits over six innings. Clayton Richard (1-2) yielded eight hits over 5 2/3 frames to suffer the loss.

"Clayton threw the ball well, it was a good matchup with Lilly," Padres manager Bud Black said. "We had good stuff at the end. Nick hit the ball hard. I thought it was going to the corner, but Gwynn made a great play."

Jamey Carroll doubled to start the bottom of the first and scored on Ethier's groundout.

Hundley singled in Headley in the third, but the Dodgers went ahead with one out in the fourth on Uribe's homer to center.

The Dodgers wasted a bases loaded chance in the sixth and the Padres left a runner at third in the seventh. LA extended its lead in the bottom half on Kemp's homer to left-center field.

"I was looking for something to square up, it was a curveball and I put a good swing on it," Kemp said.

Hundley was caught in a rundown between second and third to end the top of the eighth.

Game Notes

Dodgers infielder Casey Blake was put on the 15-day disabled list Friday due to an infection in his left elbow. Blake could miss four weeks. The Dodgers also recalled infielder Russell Mitchell from Triple-A Albuquerque Friday...Paul Lo Duca (2003), Davis (1971) and Steve Sax (1986) also had 25- game hitting streaks for the Dodgers...LA went 0-for-7 with men in scoring position and stranded 11 base runners.






Related News