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Dodgers go for sweep in San Diego

Aug 3, 2011 - 2:41 PM (Sports Network) - If the Dodgers manage to stay out of the basement in the National League West come season's end, their success over the Padres this year will probably have something to do with that.

Los Angeles seeks its second straight three-game sweep over San Diego in tonight's finale at Petco Park.

The disappointing Dodgers sit fourth overall in the division, nine games under .500 but still four games ahead of the basement-dwelling Padres. Los Angeles swept San Diego at home when the club's last met from July 8-10 and victories in the first two meetings of this series have given the Dodgers a 8-3 mark in the 2011 season series.

Los Angeles was able to just squeeze by San Diego last night, riding the arm of Hiroki Kuroda to a 1-0 victory. The Japanese import fired seven scoreless innings, working around four hits and two walks while matching a season high with eight strikeouts.

Mike MacDougal worked around two hits to keep the Padres off the board in the eighth and Javy Guerra recorded the final three outs to earn his ninth save of the season.

Matt Kemp drove in the lone run in the fourth inning, plating Dee Gordon from third base with a single. Gordon was recalled from the minors on Sunday following the trade of shortstop Rafael Furcal to St. Louis.

"It's a feel thing for me and here I need to do it, I need to get on base so these guys can hit me in," said Gordon, who reached base in the fourth with a bunt single.

Mat Latos (5-11) was the hard-luck loser, surrendering the game's lone run on six hits over seven innings for the Padres. Blake Tekotte, who was called up from the minors on Monday, went 3-for-4, as the Padres fell for the ninth time in 12 contests and were shut out for the 16th time this season.

"Last time, it felt a little overwhelming, maybe," Tekotte said of his first stint in the majors during late May and early June. "I got my feet wet, went back down and knew what I had to work on. I changed a little bit of my swing, just kind of my approach and everything. This go-around I feel a little bit more comfortable up there in knowing what I need to do."

Taking the mound for the Dodgers will be Ted Lilly, who is coming off a victory over the Diamondbacks on Friday.

The veteran southpaw allowed three runs -- two earned -- on three hits, two homers and two walks in a 9-5 win, but lasted just five innings for the third time in four outings. Lilly has also yielded 11 homers over his past seven starts and 23 total on the season.

His inability to keep the ball in the park has been one of the reasons Lilly is just 7-10 on the season with a 5.02 earned run average.

The 35-year-old is set to face the Padres for the fourth time in 2011. He is 2-0 with a 2.35 ERA over the first three meetings, giving him a lifetime mark of 8-3 against them.

Some tough-luck, partially due to his own miscue, caused Tim Stauffer to lose for the third time in four starts last Friday and he will try to rebound tonight for the Padres.

Stauffer balked in the go-ahead run in a 3-2 setback, the first of his career, capping a seven-inning outing in which he was charged with all three runs on eight hits and a walk. He fell to 6-8 with a 3.10 ERA on the season.

"There was a combination of things out there tonight," said Stauffer. "We played a good game out there, but they took better advantage of their chances."

The 29-year-old righty lost to the Dodgers on July 10, yielding two earned runs over six innings. He fell to 3-3 with a 3.19 ERA versus Los Angeles lifetime.

Stauffer will likely have to face Andre Ethier tonight after the All-Star was held out of the starting lineup on Tuesday. Los Angeles manager Don Mattingly said his outfielder looked "frustrated" on Monday after going 0-for-4.