With the bat and glove Torii Hunter was to much for the Dodgers as Chad Billinsley failed to garner his 7th win with a lackluster performance in the 10 - 7 loss. Billingsley gave up nine hits in six innings and four of the five runs he allowed were earned.
Still the Dodgers had their hitting shoes on today and might have pulled this one out if Torii Hunter had left the game in the 1st inning instead of the 7th inning, and the bullpen hadn't been rocked.
54,000 fans saw Torii Hunter drive in three more runs and make two sparkling catches including a wall crashing catch of Matt Kemp's shot against the center field fence. Hunter has a gold glove reputation but the defensive metrics say he's not as good as his reputation. Dodger fans who saw him make play after play this weekend saw enough of him that they would snort at any metric that does not show him as one of the top defensive center fielders in the game. His offense was also on display as he drove in six runs this weekend.
While Billingsley wasn't his normal sparkling self it was the bullpen that was the team's undoing. Wade, Leach, and Troncoso gave up five runs during their stints. Ohman got the only batter he faced and Mota of all people pitched the only effective inning out of the bullpen. Kuo can't get back here fast enough.
Not to be lost in the 10-7 loss was Jamie Hoffman belting a three run home run in his 3rd at bat which accounted for most of the offense until the hitters woke up in the 8th inning spearheaded by Hudson/Blake of course. Hoffman did chip in his 4th RBI with a bloop single that Abreu turned into a double. As graceful as Hunter is in CF, Abreu looks Canseco'ish in RF. The best chance they had at the game came late with the bases loaded and Furcal pinch hitting. Instead of tying the game he hit into a force at home. Pierre followed with a line drive but it was right at the 2nd baseman to end the threat.
Hoffman became the first Dodger to hit a home run for his first hit since Chin-lung Hu on Sept. 11, 2007.
Orlando Hudson collected an infield single in the eighth inning to extend his career hight hitting streak to 14 games.
Juan Pierre got two more hits and stole two more bases tying him with Matt Kemp for the team lead at nine.
The surprising Padres won again and are streaking back up the charts.
The Dodgers go to Colorado for a Memorial Day Game with Stults trying to erase the memory of his last visit to Coors.