The Dodger offense continued their alternating performances this week, following a nine-run outburst with another shutout, this one at the hands of Tim Hudson with a Billy Wagner finish, as the Braves took the series opener 1-0. The only run of the game came off the bat of journeyman Brooks Conrad, filling in for the injured Chipper Jones at third base, who smashed a pitch over the center field wall in the seventh inning. This was the Dodgers third 1-0 loss of the season.
Hudson pitched eight shutout innings, and has allowed a total of two runs in 36 2/3 innings over his last five starts.
Conrad had hit every one of his home runs this season -- all six of them, before tonight -- in the eighth inning or later, which made his seventh inning blast relatively early by comparison.
Hiroki Kuroda pitched well, allowing one run in seven innings, but thanks to the lack of offense by the Dodgers he was hung with his sixth loss in his last seven decisions.
One night after his implosion in Philadelphia, Jonathan Broxton was given the ball to pitch the eighth inning, and he responded with a scoreless frame, allowing only an infield single.
The Dodgers managed to reach base five times, and three of those were by Scott Podsednik. Podsednik reached base to start the ninth inning, but was caught stealing by Wagner, whose pickoff move helped record the second out of the inning. Wagner then struck out Andre Ethier to end the game.
Ted Lilly and Derek Lowe do battle tomorrow night.
WP - TIm Hudson (14-5): 8 IP, 3 hits, 1 walk, 6 strikeouts
LP - Hiroki Kuroda (8-11): 7 IP, 4 hits, 1 run, 2 walks, 3 strikeouts
Sv - Billy Wagner (29): 1 IP, 1 hit, 1 strikeout