Padres Beat Dodgers 4-2 To Hand Capuano's 1st Loss Of Season
SAN DIEGO (AP) Chase Headley homered, doubled and drove in three runs, and the last-place San Diego Padres rallied to beat the NL West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers 4-2 Wednesday night, helping left-hander Clayton Richard snap his personal five-game losing streak.
Richard and two relievers combined on a five-hitter as the Padres beat L.A. for only the second time in eight games this season. The Dodgers have lost two straight since Matt Kemp went on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left hamstring.
Dodgers lefty Chris Capuano (5-1), who had won his previous four starts, took a two-hitter and a 2-1 lead into the sixth. Cameron Maybin and Chris Denorfia opened the inning with singles before the switch-hitting Headley doubled into the gap in left-center to bring them both in.
Capuano loaded the bases in in the seventh with a single, his throwing error and a walk. Javy Guerra came on and walked Maybin on four straight pitches to make it 4-2.
Headley homered to left with two outs in the first, his fifth of the season.
Capuano allowed four runs, three earned, and six hits in 6 1-3 innings, struck out six and walked three. He was trying for the best start to a season in his career. He went 5-0 in 2007 with Milwaukee and then went 0-10 in his final 18 starts. He finished 5-12 after losing two games out of the bullpen.
Richard (2-5) had lost his previous five starts. It was his first win since beating the Dodgers 8-4 at home on April 8, helping the Padres avoid a season-opening, four-game sweep. He held the Dodgers to two runs and four hits in seven innings Wednesday, struck out six and walked none. Dale Thayer pitched the ninth for his fourth save in as many chances after Andrew Cashner struck out the side in the eighth.
Richard is 6-1 in 10 career starts against the Dodgers.
Elian Herrera had an RBI double for his first big league hit as the Dodgers took a 2-0 lead just four batters in. After Gwynn's leadoff single, Herrera brought him in with a double that landed just inside third base and rolled all the way into the left-field corner. Herrera advanced on Bobby Abreu's groundout and scored on Andre Ethier's sacrifice fly.
Herrera was recalled Monday from Triple-A Albuquerque and made his big league debut as a pinch-hitter Tuesday night. He made his first start Wednesday, at second base.
It was Ethier's 27th RBI in his last 24 games against San Diego.
NOTES: Padres manager Bud Black said LF Carlos Quentin had a cortisone shot in his right knee on Thursday. Quentin has been out since having arthroscopic surgery during spring training. .... Jimmy Jones, the pitching coach at Double-A San Antonio, is filling in as bullpen coach with the Padres while Darrel Ackerfelds undergoes treatment for pancreatic cancer. He underwent chemotherapy and radiation. ... Richard committed his fourth error, one off the team lead, when he spiked a short throw to first on Gwynn's grounder leading off the third. Gwynn was then caught stealing. ... The two-game series concludes Thursday night when L.A.'s Aaron Harang (2-2, 4.46 ERA) is scheduled to face San Diego's Edinson Volquez (2-2, 2.79). On April 13 at Dodger Stadium, Harang set a Dodgers record with nine consecutive strikeouts, one short of the major league mark, and tied his career high with 13 strikeouts. Harang was with the Padres last year, leading them with 14 victories.
