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Offense wanted: Struggling Padres try to avoid sweep by Dodgers

Jul 10, 2011 - 2:37 PM (Sports Network) - After a 1-0 loss to the Dodgers on Friday, Padres manager Bud Black said his team "set another level of frustration."

He had no idea what was still left to come.

After nearly throwing the first no-hitter in team history only to suffer another 1-0 setback, San Diego tries to avoid a three-game sweep at the hands of hosting Los Angeles this afternoon.

The Padres went 0-for-11 with runners in scoring position on Friday and the hitting issues continued the following day at Dodger Stadium. San Diego managed just one hit -- a Cameron Maybin single in the fifth inning -- but the pitching staff countered with 8 2/3 innings of no-hit ball.

However, Juan Uribe finally lined a two-out double off Luke Gregerson before Dioner Navarro smacked a 3-2 offering into center field to plate the game's only run and turn a possibly historic night for the Padres into another baffling defeat.

The Dodgers, meanwhile, picked up their third straight victory by way of a shutout, doing so for the first time since July 25-27, 1991. Seven of their last nine wins have come via a shutout.

"It was a bizarre game," Navarro said. "We've been struggling with runners on, but all that matters is we got the win. That's the bottom line."

San Diego starter Aaron Harang also had a good bottom line, hurling six innings and walking three in his first start since June 9 due to a right foot contusion. Black, though, pulled his starter after 95 pitches despite the no- hit bid, something Harang said he was okay with afterwards.

"It wasn't frustrating. [Black's] looking after my health right there," Harang said. "I think it's a different situation if I'm through seven innings. It's probably gonna be a different scenario."

Los Angeles starter Rubby De La Rosa nearly matched Harang, giving up just the one hit over his six innings of work. He also struck out a career-high eight batters in helping send San Diego to its fourth straight one-run defeat and 15th shutout loss of the season.

The Dodgers and Padres are now tied for last in the National League West, 11 games off the pace.

Los Angeles bested San Diego for only the sixth time in the past 15 meetings and will try to sweep the club for the first time since doing so in three games on the road from May 14-16 of last year. The Dodgers try to do so behind Ted Lilly, who takes aim at his first victory in nearly a month.

Lilly has dropped his last four starts since a win at Colorado on June 11. He gave up 17 runs over 13 2/3 innings in the first three outings of his slide before turning in a decent outing versus the Mets on Tuesday. The veteran lefty lasted six innings, yielding three runs on six hits, two homers and two walks in a 6-0 setback.

"The home runs have hurt Teddy for sure," Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said.

The 35-year-old's slide has dropped him to 5-9 with a 4.94 earned run average in 18 games this season. Lilly has solid career numbers versus the Padres, going 7-3 with a 3.00 ERA against them. That includes a victory over them at home on April 29, a start that saw Lilly give up just five hits over six innings of one-run ball.

Tim Stauffer will look to carry his hot streak into the All-Star break with a fourth straight winning start today.

Stauffer is 4-1 over his past six starts with a 1.29 ERA. San Diego was shut out in his two non-winning decisions, but gave him enough offense to beat the Giants on Tuesday. The right-hander did his part, holding the National League West rivals to three runs -- two earned -- on eight hits over six innings.

The 29-year-old's streak has evened his season mark to 5-5 to go along with a 2.97 ERA in 18 starts. That includes an April 30 outing in Los Angeles, where Stauffer allowed two runs over 6 2/3 innings in a no-decision with seven strikeouts.