Mets Lose 4-2 To Dodgers, Can't Sweep Series
NEW YORK (AP) — Andre Ethier got back on track with a two-run homer, Clayton Kershaw struck out eight and the struggling Los Angeles Dodgers beat the New York Mets 4-2 on Sunday to snap a four-game losing streak.
Ethier also singled after going 0 for 4 on Saturday night to end his 30-game hitting streak. He wound up one game shy of Willie Davis' club record set in 1969.
Kershaw (4-3) was rarely in trouble while beating the Mets for the third straight time. The left-hander gave up one run on six hits and three walks in 6 2-3 innings to give the Dodgers a much-needed lift after they had lost six of their previous seven.
Vicente Padilla gave up an RBI triple to Jose Reyes in the ninth before finishing for his fourth career save and second of the season. Padilla is closing games while Jonathan Broxton is sidelined with an ailing right elbow.
R.A. Dickey (1-4) kept New York in the game with his baffling knuckleball, allowing only one unearned run before Ethier's two-run shot in the seventh inning. That doomed Dickey to his fourth loss in six starts since beating Florida in his season debut on April 3.
New York jumped ahead in the first inning when Kershaw issued a pair of walks and Ronny Paulino's two-out base hit brought home Justin Turner, but the lead didn't last long.
The Dodgers tied it in the third when Kershaw was hit by a pitch on the foot, then slid into second base on a passed ball. He advanced to third on a groundout before scoring on a base hit by Aaron Miles through the right side of the infield.
Los Angeles pulled ahead in the fourth on an RBI grounder by Rod Barajas.
The Dodgers wasted a chance in the fifth, when Jamey Carroll led off with a grounder to first base. Ike Davis fielded the bouncing ball but his toss forced Dickey to sky high to snare the throw, and he was unable to slap on the tag while covering the bag.
Miles and Ethier followed with singles to load the bases with none out, but Matt Kemp chopped into a 1-2-3 double play and Juan Uribe grounded out to end the inning.
Uribe ended up going 0 for 4 and was hitless in 14 at-bats for the series, and Los Angeles went 0 for 5 with the bases loaded the final two games against New York.
The Dodgers also ended up stranding seven on base Sunday, and 32 for the three-game set, though it didn't hurt them in the finale — even if it did get tense in the seventh inning.
There were already runners on the corners with two outs when manager Don Mattingly opted to lift Kershaw for a righty-righty matchup. Kenley Jansen promptly walked David Wright to load the bases, but escaped the jam when he got Jason Bay to line out to left field.
The Mets, who stranded 10 in the game, went down with a whimper the rest of the way.
NOTES: Kershaw beat Dickey the last time he faced the Mets, 1-0 last July 25. ... Mike O'Connor pitched two perfect innings of relief for New York. ... The Mets put RHP Chris Young (shoulder tightness) on the DL and selected the contract of LHP Pat Misch from Triple-A Buffalo before the game. ... Fitness celebrity Jillian Michaels was on hand for the game.
