Hubbard Likes View, Padres Don’t

Because Trenidad Hubbard doesn’t hit home runs often, he enjoys savoring the ones he gets.

But the Dodger reserve outfielder acknowledged Thursday afternoon that he admired his homer too much in a 12-3 victory over the San Diego Padres.

Hubbard closed the Dodgers’ scoring with a one-out, two-run homer--his fourth--to left field in the seventh inning against reliever Brian Boehringer.

Hubbard watched the ball go over the wall while slowly leaving the batters’ box. That apparently angered Boehringer, who walked more than halfway toward first base while shouting at Hubbard. Hubbard got the message.

“I didn’t mean to do that,” said Hubbard, who was admonished by Manager Glenn Hoffman. “If I offended him, I’m sorry. I don’t hit many of those, and sometimes they catch me by surprise.”

Boehringer wouldn’t comment, but the San Diego coaching staff didn’t appreciate Hubbard’s display.

“If that same guy [Boehringer] was [Padre starter] Kevin Brown, he wouldn’t have been standing there at the plate,” Padre pitching coach Dave Stewart said.

Said coach Davey Lopes: “And he wouldn’t have hit the ball either [if Brown were pitching].”

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Shortstop Jose Vizcaino hopes to return to the Dodger lineup soon, but his right ankle isn’t cooperating.

Vizcaino has been sidelined since severely spraining his ankle June 21 against the Colorado Rockies. The soft cast that Vizcaino wore to immobilize his ankle was removed Monday, but he estimates he must undergo “three to four weeks” of therapy.

“This has been very frustrating,” said Vizcaino, who has sat out 14 games. “I sit there at home and watch the team on TV, and I want to be out there, but I know I can’t.”

Vizcaino was especially disappointed about missing the three-game series before the All-Star break against the Giants at San Francisco.

“I’ve been waiting for that series since spring training,” said Vizcaino, who played for the Giants last season. “I wanted to be there so bad, but I could only watch on TV.”

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Second baseman Eric Young was removed in the fourth inning Thursday because of a right quadriceps strain.

“It feels pretty good, but it makes sense to rest it when I can,” said Young, who stole his National League-leading 33rd base and went two for three with a run. The Dodgers had a 10-0 lead when he left.

TONIGHT

DODGERS’ DARREN DREIFORT (5-7, 3.61 ERA) vs. PADRES’ KEVIN BROWN (10-3, 2.67 ERA)

Dodger Stadium, 7 p.m.

TV--Channel 5. Radio--AM 1150, KWKW (1330).

* Update--Dreifort has the lowest ERA among Dodger starters and leads the team with 96 strikeouts. He is 2-2 in his last six starts despite a 3.21 ERA in 42 innings. Brown defeated the Dodgers, 10-6, June 6 at Qualcomm Stadium. He is 5-1 with a 2.45 ERA in six starts against the Dodgers.