Rod Barajas Leads Dodgers To Sweep Of Padres

Rod Barajas concluded his great August on Wednesday with a pair of extra-base hits, including a two-run home run off the foul pole in left field in the second inning, leading the Dodgers to a 4-2 win and a sweep of the Padres. Barajas in August hit .357/.403/.750 with four doubles, six home runs, and 19 RBI in 18 games.

The Dodgers started strong out of the gate today off Wade LeBlanc, collecting three straight singles to open the game, capped by Matt Kemp driving in Justin Sellers for the game's first run.

Heading into the afternoon game, the concern with Ted Lilly was that he would allow home runs galore. After all he had allowed 13 dingers in 48 innings in nine daytime starts this year. Lilly didn't allow a home run today, but a new Lilly vice emerged: wildness.

In his first 37 starts as a Dodger, dating back to last August, Lilly never walked more than two batters in a game. Now, he has done so twice in his last three starts, including walking four today. However, Lilly kept the ball in the park and got some help from his friends. Matt Kemp threw out Alberto Gonzalez, who tried to stretch a single into a double in the second inning, and James Loney made a nice and quick play on a ground ball to first base that became a 3-2-5 double play.

Notes

• The Dodgers are now 36-35 at Dodger Stadium this season, pushing their home mark above .500 for the first time since May 13, when they were 10-9 at Chavez Ravine.
• The Dodgers have beaten the Padres six straight times at Dodger Stadium, and are 11-4 against San Diego this season.
  
• Lilly did allow two stolen bases, including one to noted large human Kyle Blanks (who actually has exactly one stolen base in each of the last three seasons). Lilly has allowed 31 steals this season, most in the major leagues.
• Kemp's single in the first inning gave him his 102nd RBI of the season, setting a new career high, surpassing the 101 he had in 2009.
• Eugenio Velez started at went hitless in two at-bats, pushing him to 0-for-30 on the season, and 0-for-his-last-39 dating back to last season.
• Andre Ethier did not start, but collected a pinch-hit single in the bottom of the eighth inning and has seven hits in his last nine at-bats.
  
• The Braves were apparently the team that won the claim for Jamey Carroll, but could not work out a trade with the Dodgers, per Mark Bowman of MLB.com.
  
• Pittsburgh awaits for one day only, on Thursday afternoon, as the Dodgers open an 11-game road trip with Dana Eveland facing Brad Lincoln of the Pirates in a makeup game from a rainout on May 12.
  

WP - Ted Lilly (9-13): 5 2/3 IP, 5 hits, 2 runs, 4 walks, 3 strikeouts

LP - Wade LeBlanc (2-4): 6 IP, 6 hits, 4 runs, 1 walk, 3 strikeouts

Sv - Javy Guerra (13): 1 IP, 1 walk

Box Score