Dodgers End Punchless Weekend With Blowout Loss To Padres

The Dodgers managed just three hits and no runs off Dustin Moseley, losing to the Padres 7-0 in the series finale at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers managed just five runs in three games during the series with San Diego, just a pitiful weekend. If you think about it, without that diving catch by Tony Gwynn Jr. on Friday night, this weekend could have easily been a sweep.

Here are some notes from today's contest:

• Andre Ethier extended his hitting streak to 27 games with a hard ground ball single off the glove of Brad Hawpe in the seventh inning
• Moseley came into the game with 10 strikeouts in 31 2/3 innings this season, but he struck out six Dodgers in his seven innings today. Moseley also came into the game with a 1.99 ERA, but lowered that to 1.63 with his seven scoreless frames.
• Jon Garland allowed a walk and three singles to open the second inning, which produced the three Padres' runs. Outside of that, however, Garland was outstanding, allowing no hits in his five other innings. With Garland's four walks and eight strikeouts in six innings on the day, it's like Kenley Jansen never left!
  
• Dodger leadoff batters in this series reached base a paltry two times in 27 innings: Ethier's base hit in the seventh inning today, and a double by Jamey Carroll on Friday.
• Aaron Miles, who was 1-for-4 today, has a funky split this season; he is 9-for-56 batting left-handed, and 9-for-13 batting right-handed. (Hat tip to Alex41592 for mentioning this in the comments)
  
• Hong-Chih Kuo, just activated off the disabled list today, exhibited more of the control problems he showed earlier in the season. Kuo entered the game down 3-0 in the top of the ninth, but retired only one of the five men he faced. Two singles, a walk, a hit-by-pitch, and some inherited runner gasoline thrown on the fire by Mike MacDougal meant four runs got charged to Kuo's ledger today. Kuo, who has allowed five runs in three innings this season, didn't allow his fifth run last season until August 16, in his 43rd inning.
  
• Old friend Xavier Paul, claimed by Pittsburgh last week, made his first start for the Pirates today at Coors Field in Colorado. Paul had a triple, a single, a walk, a stolen base, a run, and two RBI in five plate appearances in an 8-4 win over the Rockies.
• The Dodgers open a three-game series with the Chicago Cubs on Monday, with Clayton Kershaw facing James Russell in a battle of southpaws in the opener.
  

WP - Dustin Moseley (1-3): 7 IP, 3 hits, 2 walks, 6 strikeouts

LP - Jon Garland (1-2): 6 IP, 3 hits, 3 runs, 4 walks, 8 strikeouts

Box Score