Los Angeles, CA (My Sportsbook) - Russell Martin drew a bases-loaded walk with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, giving Los Angeles a 1-0 win over the Padres, capping a brilliant pitching duel between San Diego's Jake Peavy and the Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw.
The Dodgers had just three hits, but pushed their home record to 8-0 this season. That ties for the second-best home start in team history, equaling the 1947 squad when the franchise was in Brooklyn. That happened to be Jackie Robinson's rookie season. The all-time mark is 9-0 in 1946, also when the team played at Ebbets Field.
Peavy, who came into the game 13-2 lifetime against the Dodgers, allowed two hits, walked one and struck out eight over eight innings. He departed in favor of Duaner Sanchez (1-1), who walked three batters in suffering the loss in the second installment of the four-game set.
"That was one of the best nights I've seen him so far," said Padres catcher Henry Blanco of Peavy. "He was aggressive all night. He made good pitches when he had to."
Kershaw was charged with four hits over seven innings. Jonathan Broxton (3-0) struck out two batters in the ninth to earn the victory, the sixth in nine games for the Dodgers.
"Anytime you pitch against someone of Peavy's caliber you have to keep your team in the game," said Kershaw." I didn't have great velocity tonight so I had to focus on my command."
The Padres, who went 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position, lost for the ninth time in 11 games.
Rafael Furcal singled to start the bottom of the ninth, but was erased at second on Orlando Hudson's attempted sacrifice bunt. Hudson then went to second on a Sanchez wild pitch, after which Manny Ramirez was given an intentional walk on a 3-2 pitch. James Loney struck out and Matt Kemp drew a walk to bring up Martin, a .198 hitter this year.
In a 10-pitch at-bat, Martin walked on a 3-2 pitch, barely holding up his swing on a high and inside pitch to end the game. Just before, Martin hit a ball that barely turned foul up the third-base line.
"Tough result to swallow," said Peavy. "You have to tip your hat to Kershaw and Broxton. They made pitches. I kept the team in the game. We put together eight solid innings. We didn't get the result we wanted."
San Diego put two runners on base in the second, but couldn't score. Scott Hairston doubled leading off the fourth, but Chase Headley grounded into a double play later in the frame. Still, San Diego had runners at the corners after a walk to Kevin Kouzmanoff, but Blanco flied out.
Kouzmanoff doubled to start the seventh, but Kershaw retired the ensuing three hitters.
The Dodgers escaped another jam in the eighth with Ronald Belisario and Will Ohman on the mound. Brian Giles walked and Hairston was hit by a pitch with one out. Ohman fanned Adrian Gonzalez and Headley grounded into a force play.
Game Notes
The Dodgers are in the midst of playing 25 of their first 28 games against National League West Division opponents. Los Angeles is 15-6 against West foes thus far. The only games outside the division were a three-game set at Houston April 21-23, when the Dodgers dropped two of three...The Dodgers are the only undefeated team in the Majors at home. In fact, every other team has at least two losses...Gonzalez went 0-for-3 and had his 12-game hit streak broken.
