Rough 27 hours of ball for Padres in losses to LA
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}It wasn't a good 27 hours of baseball for the San Diego Padres.
The Padres lost twice to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday, although the first defeat officially goes down as having occurred on Friday.
Former teammate Tony Gwynn Jr. singled in the go-ahead run with two outs in the 11th inning and the Dodgers won 4-2 in a game that had been suspended at 1:40 a.m. after four rain delays totaling 3 hours, 36 minutes. The game took nearly 24 hours to complete.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Things didn't get better in Saturday night's regularly scheduled game.
Hiroki Kuroda came within one out of his third career shutout and Andre Ethier had a homer among his three hits to lead the Dodgers to a 4-0 win.
"It's a tough day," third baseman Chase Headley said. "Obviously we're a little tired from that fiasco from last night. You want to come out and get that first one. When that didn't happen, you've got to refocus and go after that second one. They just outplayed us today. That's what it came down to."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Kuroda (2-0) was dominating until the seventh, when he still managed to get out of a bases-loaded jam. Until then, he allowed only a walk to Chris Denorfia in the second and a single to Orlando Hudson in the fourth.
Hudson was doubled off by center fielder Matt Kemp trying to take second on Brad Hawpe's fly ball.
The Padres loaded the bases in the seventh on Jason Bartlett's leadoff walk and consecutive one-out singles by Hawpe and Headley. Denorfia grounded to shortstop Jamey Carroll, who started an inning-ending double play.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Kuroda, who gave up six hits, retired the first two batters in the ninth before allowing singles to Hawpe and Headley. Jonathan Broxton came on and walked Denorfia to load the bases. The game ended when Headley was called out for interference for colliding with third baseman Casey Blake, who was going for Cameron Maybin's dribbler between shortstop and third.
Kuroda struck out four and walked two. Broxton got his fifth save.
Dustin Moseley (0-2) allowed three runs, two earned, and eight hits in six innings for San Diego. He walked three and struck out one.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"I got outpitched, so, hang with 'em," he said. "You keep going out there, the boys will start coming through. We've got a good group here and some good hitters. It'll work itself out there."
The suspended game resumed at 5:35 p.m. on a chilly but clear evening, and ended at 6:55 p.m.
Gwynn, the son of Padres Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn, entered during a double switch in the bottom of the ninth. With two on in the 11th, he hit a soft liner on a two-strike pitch from sidearmer Pat Neshek that dropped in front of right fielder Will Venable. That brought in Uribe, who was aboard on a leadoff double against Ernesto Frieri (0-1). Gwynn took second on the throw home.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Gwynn, who hit only .204 with the Padres last year, has thought plenty about getting big hits at Petco Park.
"I've envisioned it, but it definitely wasn't under the circumstances that we're in now," Gwynn said. "Nevertheless, I was blessed to have an opportunity to get up there and perform well."
After the Padres traded for Maybin in November, Gwynn wasn't offered a contract to return. He signed as a free agent with the rival Dodgers.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The fans gave Gwynn a mixed reception when he was announced during the double switch.
"I expected that," he said. "When the Padres are playing against the Dodgers, it becomes more about the name on the front of the jersey than it does on the back. I wouldn't expect them to do anything different."
After Uribe doubled, James Loney popped up and pinch-hitter Aaron Miles reached when a breaking ball from Frieri hit him on the bill of his helmet. Frieri made way for Neshek, who struck out Rod Barajas to bring up Gwynn. After Gwynn's single, Miles scored on a wild pitch.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Gwynn "hit it off the end a little bit, but give him credit," Padres catcher Nick Hundley said. "He put the ball in play with two strikes off a tough guy, with tough shadows, tough to see."
Broxton pitched the ninth for his fourth save. Blake Hawksworth (1-0) worked two scoreless innings for the win.
The Padres stranded 12 and the Dodgers 10.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Dodgers' first two runs were unearned due to Hundley's throwing error in the fourth inning and passed ball in the sixth on Friday night.
"If I do a better job behind the plate, I don't think it goes that long," Hundley said. "I cost us some runs. And we didn't get that one big hit that they did."
NOTES: Padres manager Bud Black said LHP Clayton Richard, who pitched just one inning Friday night before a delay of 1 hour, 34 minutes, might pitch as early as Tuesday against Cincinnati. Tim Stauffer, who had been penciled in for Tuesday, might be pushed back to Wednesday afternoon against the Reds.