Don’t look now, and most aren’t, but Dodgers are hot with 4-2 win
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And then, when nobody was looking, the Dodgers quite unexpectedly got hot.
They earned their eighth win in nine games Wednesday afternoon with a 4-2 victory over the San Diego Padres, before an actual crowd of maybe 9,000; tickets sold was announced as 27,767.
Which begs the question, if the Dodgers beat the Padres and nobody saw it, would it still count?
This time the hot hitter who carried the Dodgers was Rod Barajas, who powered a two-run homer off Wade LeBlanc in the second inning.
With Matt Kemp’s single in the first driving in one run, and James Loney’s hit adding a final RBI in the fourth, it was enough to make left-hander Ted Lilly a winner for his second consecutive start.
Barajas has been on something of a tear. In his last 21 games, he has seven home runs and 20 RBIs. He has 15 home runs on the year, second on the club to Kemp’s 31.
Barajas was signed to a one-year deal in the off-season and turns 36 on Monday. You might not think he figures into the Dodgers’ plans, but they are mostly back where they started from at catcher. Somebody has to be behind the plate next year.
Lilly went 5 2/3 innings to earn the victory and raise his record to 9-13. He allowed six hits and four walks, so it was hardly his cleanest game. But for only the second time in his last 13 starts, he did not give up a home run.
Rookie Javy Guerra pitched a scoreless ninth for his 13th save in 14 opportunities.
It was the Dodgers’ second series sweep of the year against the Padres. And they’ve had only four.
The victory also pushed their home record over .500 (36-35) for the first time since May 13, and left them only five games under .500 (65-70) overall for the first time since June 12.
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T.J. Simers: He’s positive a negative approach can motivate team
-- Steve Dilbeck