San Diego @ Los Angeles preview
Dodger Stadium
Last Meeting ( Aug 3, 2010 ) San Diego 1, LA Dodgers 2
After a new addition helped revive their fading playoff hopes, the Los Angeles Dodgers turn to an old hand to keep them going in the right direction.
Right-hander Vicente Padilla takes the mound on Wednesday night in the third game of a four-game set with the San Diego Padres.
The Dodgers would love to see Padilla duplicate the effort of Tuesday’s starter Ted Lilly, who was brilliant in his debut with Los Angeles after being acquired in a trade with the Chicago Cubs.
Lilly gave up one run and two hits in seven innings and retired the final 20 batters he faced as the Dodgers snapped a six-game losing streak with a 2-1 victory over the National League West-leading Padres.
Russell Martin provided the offense Lilly needed with a two-run double in the second inning.
The gem by Lilly kept Los Angeles within eight games of the Padres, who also saw their lead sliced to one game over the hard-charging San Francisco Giants.
Padilla (4-3, 3.47 ERA) will be making his second consecutive start against San Diego.
He lasted just four innings against the Padres last Thursday despite giving up just two runs and four hits. The Padres eventually won the game 3-2 on Oscar Salazar’s ninth-inning, pinch-hit single.
Padilla hasn’t won since July 11 even though he has allowed just three earned runs in 17 innings over his last three starts.
The 32-year-old right-hander has been much more effective at home, going at least 6 2/3 innings in each of his five starts and not allowing more than six hits in any of them.
Padilla will be opposed by San Diego left-hander Wade LeBlanc.
LeBlanc is just 1-5 over his last eight starts despite not allowing more than four runs in any of the outings.
His only victory during the span came July 25 against Pittsburgh. LeBlanc lost to Florida in his last start by giving up four runs and five hits in 6 1/3 innings.
LeBlanc is 5-9 with a 3.49 earned-run average. He’s 1-3 with a 4.91 ERA in five career starts against Los Angeles.
The southpaw, who will turn 26 on Saturday, was a hard-luck loser at home to the Dodgers earlier this season. He allowed just one run on two hits in seven innings but came out on the short end of a 1-0 decision.
Dodgers shortstop Rafael Furcal missed Tuesday’s game after injuring his back during Monday’s game. The injury was classified as a lower back strain.
San Diego’s Miguel Tejada hit his first homer as a Padre in Tuesday’s game for the only run against Lilly.