The Dodgers made 26 outs before collecting their first hit, just like Game 4 of the 1947 World Series. Today's game was slightly less important, but still memorable nonetheless as Juan Uribe and Dioner Navarro collected safeties before the Padres could get that 27th out, giving the Dodgers their second straight 1-0 win, and their third straight shutout.
Not to be forgotten was that the Dodgers allowed just one hit themselves. Rubby De La Rosa was magnificent once again, as he didn't allow a hit until the fifth inning, a single by Cameron Maybin. In his last start, on Monday, De La Rosa didn't allow a hit until the sixth inning against the Mets. De La Rosa struck out seven of the first 10 hitters of the game, and ended with eight strikeouts in his six shutout innings.
"You really feel like Rubby, every time he pitches he's going to be good," manager Don Mattingly said after the game. Rubby in his last three starts has allowed just four runs and 12 hits in 20 innings, with seven walks and 17 strikeouts. The eight punchouts were a career high for De La Rosa.
The way Aaron Harang started the game, it didn't seem like the Dodgers would struggle to score for very long. Harang walked two and threw 37 pitches in the first inning, but then settled down to throw 58 pitches over his next five innings. Harang was pulled after six frames as he was just activated from the disabled list this morning.
Josh Spence, Chad Qualls, and Mike Adams combined for two more no-hit innings for San Diego, who have never thrown a no-hitter in their 43 years of existence. Luke Gregerson got the first two outs of the ninth inning before allowing a double by Uribe to deep left. Dioner Navarro followed with a bloop single to right center to end it and start the Matt Kemp Celebration Gauntlet™. "This was the most bizarre game I've ever been in," Navarro said.
Bizarre indeed, but the Dodgers have won three straight, and are now tied with the Padres for fourth (and fifth) place in the NL West. Ted Lilly goes for the sweep on Sunday afternoon against Tim Stauffer.
Notes
- The Dodgers have three straight shutouts for the first time since July 25-27, 1991. The only time they have had four straight shutouts since moving to Los Angeles was from September 9-11, 1966.
- The Dodgers last had consecutive 1-0 victories last June 1-2. They beat Arizona both days in their final at-bat, Kemp with a walk-off home run and Garret Anderson with an extra-inning walk-off single.
- The Dodgers have never had three straight 1-0 wins, at least not dating back to 1919.
- The Dodgers have went 10 full games without a home run. Aaron Miles hit the Dodgers' last home run on June 28 in Minnesota, and the Dodgers have kept it in the park in their last 384 plate appearances.
WP - Blake Hawksworth (2-2): 1 IP, 1 strikeout
LP - Luke Gregerson (2-2): 2/3 IP, 2 hits, 1 run, 1 strikeout