True Blue LA - Apr. 9: Padres 9, Dodgers 3Where The Dodger Dogs Are Always Grilledhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/49563/truebluela_fav.png2013-04-09T20:59:44-07:00http://www.truebluela.com/rss/stream/39697072013-04-09T20:59:44-07:002013-04-09T20:59:44-07:00Gonzalez, Kemp & RISP
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<figcaption>Denis Poroy</figcaption>
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<p>Hitting with runners in scoring position has been a collective problem for the Dodgers through seven games, though the team isn't yet worried about the early hitting woes.</p> <p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> scored three runs on Tuesday in San Diego, which is more than they have averaged in the early going of the season. Though it felt like they could have scored much more. They left nine runners on base in their 9-3 loss to the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.gaslampball.com/">Padres</a>, and scored no runs in the first two innings despite putting the first two runners on base in each frame.</p>
<p>"We had 10 hits tonight, and we could have done more," said manager Don Mattingly.</p>
<p>Just one of those 10 hits on Tuesday came with runners in scoring position, something that has plagued the team in the first week. Yet the Dodgers don't seem worried, and at 4-3 despite their offensive woes it's hard to blame them.</p>
<p>"We'll see it all year long. The teams that get the most guys out there leave the most runners," said Mattingly. "The key for us is to continue to try to get runners out there, and the percentages will fall in our favor."</p>
<p>The Dodgers' on-base percentage through seven games is .327, good for sixth in the National League and well above the league average of .308 (through Monday). But their 2.86 runs per game ranks 10th in the NL.</p>
<p>The one hit with runners in scoring position came from <span>Adrian Gonzalez</span>, who is hitting .556 (5-for-9) in those situations so far and leads the team with six runs batted in. Nobody else on the team has more than two RBI. He echoed Mattingly's sentiments.</p>
<p>"The one upside is that we have been getting a lot of opportunities," Gonzalez said. "We have to keep grinding it out, and they will come. We just have to continue working."</p>
<p>Working is what Gonzalez has done against the Padres, hitting .500 (21-for-42) in 10 games against his old team, including six consecutive multi-hit games against them. In this case, he says, familiarity did not breed contempt.</p>
<p>"For the most part, I know them. I know how they are going to attack me, I know what they are thinking," Gonzalez said. "I was over there so long, I understand their game plan and what they are trying to do with hitters, so I think my game plan can be a little more precise."</p>
<p>That precision has helped Gonzalez so far this season, but as a team the Dodgers are hitting .159/.276/.175 (10-for-63) with runners in scoring position.</p>
<p>"The main thing is to continue to have good at-bats, get guys out there, then calm down with men on base," Mattingly said. "At that point you still have to stay within a game plan, stay with what we're doing, knowing what you want to hit off a guy, and not get too anxious in those spots."</p>
<p>On the flip side, <span>Matt Kemp</span> is 0-for-11 with runners in scoring position and hitting just .120 (3-for-25) in the young season.</p>
<p>"I'm a little frustrated right now. We lost today. CC (<span>Carl Crawford</span>) and <span>Mark (Ellis)</span> have been doing a great job at the top of the lineup. I have to get in that mix of helping my team, if it's moving that runner over or driving those runs in, or getting on base for Adrian," Kemp said. "I have to a better job of that. Once that happens, we'll be a pretty dangerous team. We had a couple of chances today to score some more runs and we didn't do it."</p>
<p>Kemp, while frustrated, is still confident that things will turn around.</p>
<p>"I'm going to turn it around, I just want to do it now. I'm going to hit, so it's just a matter of time. I'm feeling good every day. I sometimes have bad at-bats. I have to have better at-bats," Kemp said. "It's just frustrating because I know I'm missing pitches that I normally hit. I have to think about hitting the ball to right center, and not trying to pull the ball, letting that ball get deep and trusting my hands. Then I'll be good, be dangerous."</p>
<p>Kemp in 2011-2012 hit a combined .320/.427/.615 with runners in scoring position, including 18 home runs in 307 plate appearances.</p>
<p>His confidence came through again when asked what he thought of the fences getting moved in at Petco Park.</p>
<p>"I don't care about fences," Kemp said, smiling. "When I'm on, can't no ballpark hold me."</p>
<p>So far though this season, ballparks <i>have</i> held Kemp. But after leading the team in home runs in each of the last three seasons, Kemp remains just one behind the 2013 team leaders: <span>Andre Ethier</span>, <span>Justin Sellers</span>, <span>Juan Uribe</span>, and <span>Clayton Kershaw</span>.</p>
<p>Yes, it's been <i>that</i> kind of season so far offensively for the Dodgers.</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2013/4/9/4207658/matt-kemp-adrian-gonzalez-dodgers-rispEric Stephen2013-04-09T19:01:18-07:002013-04-09T19:01:18-07:00Padres pile on
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<figcaption>USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>After 14 consecutive scoreless innings to open the season, the Dodgers' bullpen allowed six runs on Tuesday, providing the deciding margin at Petco Park.</p> <p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.gaslampball.com/">Padres</a> scratched across a run against Ronald Belisario in the seventh inning on Tuesday, the first run scored against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> bullpen in 2013. That gave the Padres the lead, then the flood gates burst open in the eighth inning to give the Dodgers an 9-3 loss in their first road game of the season.</p>
<p><span>Cameron Maybin</span> greeted Belisario with a slow chopper behind the mound that got past shortstop <span>Justin Sellers</span> for an infield hit. After Maybin was sacrificed to second by <span>Nick Hundley</span>, pinch hitter <span>Mark Kotsay</span> doubled to right field to break the 3-3 tie. Kotsay is hitting .600 this season, with six hits in 10 at-bats.</p>
<p>The eighth inning provided even less relief for the Dodgers, after Paco Rodriguez and Matt Guerrier allowed an insurance run with a combined three walks and a single. <span>Will Venable</span> followed with a bases-loaded triple that ended the competitive phase of play. Venable, who also homered, matched his career high with four runs batted in for San Diego.</p>
<p>The bottom of the eighth inning for San Diego featured five walks, two singles, a triple, and five runs.</p>
<p>The game, which the Dodgers never led, featured a series of oddities and notable plays.</p>
<p>In the third inning, <span>Carlos Quentin</span> was called out for batters interference on a foul pop up just behind the plate. Quentin bumped into <span>A.J. Ellis</span> slightly, but appeared to have stepped out of the batters box while doing so.</p>
<p><span>Juan Uribe</span> hit a ball over the now-closer wall in right field for his first home run of the season. Not only was it Uribe's first hit of the season and first home run since July 21, 2012, but it improved his career numbers against <span>Clayton Richard</span> to .393 (11-for-28) with three home runs. It also prompted this awesome celebration in the dugout between Uribe and <span>Hanley Ramirez</span> (hat tip <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/mike_petriello/status/321772488382107650">to Mike Petriello at Mike Scioscia's Tragic Illness</a>):</p>
<p align="center"><img src="http://msti.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/uribe_hanley_homer_celebrate_2013-04-09.gif"></p>
<p>In the fifth inning, Padres manager Bud Black sent Wednesday's starting pitcher, <span>Eric Stults</span>, in to pinch hit for Tuesday's starting pitcher Richard. Amazingly, Stults had four prior pinch hitting appearances in his career. But after his fly out to center, Stults is 0-for-5 with three strikeouts as a pinch hitter. Later in the game, Friday's scheduled Padres starer <span>Tyson Ross</span> was also used, as a pinch runner.</p>
<p><span>Matt Kemp</span> had a double in five at-bats, and has three doubles in 24 at-bats on the season. Unfortunately for Kemp those are his only hits to date, as he doesn't yet have a single and is hitting just .120.</p>
<p><span>Andre Ethier</span> was 2-for-4 for the game, including 2-for-3 against the southpaw Richard. On the season it has been bizarro world for Ethier, who is hitting .455 (5-for-11) against lefties and .182 (2-for-11) against righties.</p>
<p><span>Josh Beckett</span> allowed two home runs for his second straight start (fourth, dating back to spring training) and was pulled for a pinch hitter in the sixth inning. It ended the Dodgers' streak of six straight quality starts to begin the year, the longest season-opening streak by the team since the 1972 squad started with 11 straight.</p>
<p>Beckett's early exit paved the way for starter-turned-reliever <span>Chris Capuano</span> to finally see some game action, his first of the year. He pitched a perfect sixth inning, something foretold by manager Don Mattingly before the game.</p>
<p>"This might be a good series for him. He's got good numbers against alot of those guys and there are spots in the lineup we can use him," Mattingly said. "The game tells me what to do. If our starters get us to the back end, and we have Kenley, Beli and Leaguer I'm going to use them. But I'm not afraid of using Cappy, it just has to be the right situation."</p>
<p>One thing that wasn't abnormal about Tuesday's game was <span>Adrian Gonzalez</span> continuing to torment his old team. He was 2-for-3 with a walk and drove in the tying run in the seventh inning with an opposite-field single to left field. Gonzalez has six consecutive two-hit games against the Padres and in 10 career games against his old club has eight multi-hit games, at least one hit in all 10 contests, and a .500 batting average (21-for-42). However on Tuesday Gonzalez was <i>only</i> 1-for-2 against Richard, lowering his career mark against the southpaw from .875 to .800.</p>
<p><span>Carl Crawford</span> continued his stellar start to the season with two singles and a walk in five plate appearances. In the early going, Crawford is hitting .458 (11-for-24) with a .519 on-base percentage.</p>
<h3>Up next</h3>
<p><span>Chad Billingsley</span> makes his 2013 debut on Wednesday in the same park he made his major league debut seven seasons ago. Old friend Eric Stults, the only Padres starting pitcher with a win this season, is scheduled to be on the hill for San Diego, still without a run charged to his ledger this season.</p>
<h3>Tuesday's particulars</h3>
<p><b>Home runs</b>: Juan Uribe (1); Will Venable (1), Nick Hundley (1)</p>
<p><b>WP - <span>Luke Gregerson</span> (1-0)</b>: 1 up, 1 down</p>
<p><b>LP - Ronald Belisario (0-1)</b>: ⅔ IP, 2 hits, 1 run, 1 walk</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2013/4/9/4207012/dodgers-padres-bullpenEric Stephen2013-04-09T16:44:44-07:002013-04-09T16:44:44-07:00Federowicz the odd man out
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<figcaption>Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Barring an injury, Federowicz will be optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque before Wednesday's game against the Padres.</p> <p><span>Tim Federowicz</span> didn't get to enjoy making his first opening day roster for very long. Less than a week into the season, on Saturday, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> traded pitcher <span>Aaron Harang</span> for catcher <span>Ramon Hernandez</span>, which left Federowicz as the odd man out behind the plate. On Wednesday he will be optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque to make room on the active roster for pitcher <span>Chad Billingsley</span>, who will be activated from the disabled list to start the middle game of the three-game series against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.gaslampball.com/">Padres</a>.</p>
<p>Federowicz saw the writing on the wall.</p>
<p>"It's tough. It's one of those things as a young player. I have options left, and that's just the way it is," Federowicz said Tuesday. "You need some protection at the catchers spot if someone were to get hurt. We only had two on the (40-man) roster, so they figured they had to do something."</p>
<p>In the visiting clubhouse at Petco Park, Federowicz has a locker right next to starting catcher <span>A.J. Ellis</span>, who rod the option train from 2009-2011 before winning the every day job in 2012.</p>
<p>"We talked today about everything. Basically the same thing happened to him. It's tough, but it made him a better player for it," Federowicz said. "I just have to focus on being a good teammate when I go down, and go above and beyond."</p>
<p>Right after the trade, manager Don Mattingly talked to Federowicz and explained the situation.</p>
<p>"We talked and I explained the whole situation. He handled it well. You don't expect guys to be happy when they hear certain things," Mattingly said. "I just tell him the truth, I don't know what else to do. I just laid it out there and let him know what we're thinking. They may not like it sometimes, but it seems to end up better that way rather than BS-ing them.</p>
<p>Mattingly committed to starting Federowicz in the series finale against Pittsburgh on Sunday and stuck to that plan even with Hernandez joining the team Sunday morning. It meant a lot to Federowicz, even though he knew it would be his last major league playing time for a while.</p>
<p>"I was pumped, and I made sure I went out there and played my best. I really went over the scouting report and felt really good before the game," Federowicz said. "Hyun-jin Ryu and I had a good chemistry going on, so that was good to see."</p>
<p>Ellis before opening day had high praise for Federowicz.</p>
<p>"I see a teammate I'm really proud of, a guy who has matured not only as a player but as a person as well. He takes his job extremely seriously. I'm so excited to catch with him this year. He's going to do an outstanding job," Elllis said. "He's going to be an outstanding major league catcher for a long, long time, and I'm just happy to be here at the beginning of his career."</p>
<p>Long term, the Dodgers share those high hopes for Federowicz. But for now he'll head back to Albuquerque for what he hopes is a short trip.</p>
<p>"It helps, knowing that I'm still in their plans for the future. I know I'm a good player, and I think they do too," Federowicz said. "It won't be long if I go down."</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2013/4/9/4206852/tim-federowicz-catcher-ramon-hernandez-tradeEric Stephen2013-04-09T15:40:02-07:002013-04-09T15:40:02-07:00Dodgers vs. Padres Game I chat
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<figcaption>Eric Stephen | True Blue LA</figcaption>
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<div class="read-more"> <h2>Starting Lineups</h2> <table class="sbnu-legacy-content-table" cellspacing="2" border="0" align="center" cellpadding="2"><tbody> <tr> <td align="center" colspan="2" bgcolor="#157dec" width="125"><font color="#ffffff"><strong>Dodgers</strong></font></td> <td align="center" colspan="2" bgcolor="#1C3465" width="125"><font color="#ccc59b"><strong>Padres</strong></font></td> </tr> <tr> <td>LF</td> <td>Crawford (L)</td> <td>SS</td> <td>Cabrera (S)</td> </tr> <tr> <td>2B</td> <td>Ellis</td> <td>RF</td> <td>Venable (L)</td> </tr> <tr> <td>CF</td> <td>Kemp</td> <td>LF</td> <td>Quentin</td> </tr> <tr> <td>1B</td> <td>Gonzalez (L)</td> <td>1B</td> <td>Alonso (L)</td> </tr> <tr> <td>3B</td> <td>Uribe</td> <td>3B</td> <td>Gyorko</td> </tr> <tr> <td>RF</td> <td>Ethier (L)</td> <td>2B</td> <td>Amarista (L)</td> </tr> <tr> <td>C</td> <td>Ellis</td> <td>CF</td> <td>Maybin</td> </tr> <tr> <td>SS</td> <td>Sellers</td> <td>C</td> <td>Hundley</td> </tr> <tr> <td>P</td> <td>Beckett</td> <td>P</td> <td>Richard (L)</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </div>
<h3>Game info</h3>
<p>Time: 3:40 p.m. PT</p>
<p>TV: KCAL</p>
<p><a href="http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2013_04_09_lanmlb_sdnmlb_1&mode=gameday">MLB Gameday</a></p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2013/4/9/4206654/dodgers-vs-padres-game-i-chatEric Stephen2013-04-09T15:07:26-07:002013-04-09T15:07:26-07:00Hanley doing more 'baseball stuff'
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<figcaption>USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The shortstop is slowly adding to his baseball activities and is expected to have the cast removed from his right hand this week.</p> <p>Several hours before the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> battle the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.gaslampball.com/">Padres</a> on Tuesday at Petco Park, shortstop <span>Hanley Ramirez</span> was out taking ground balls and doing baseball drills. He still has to do everything basically one-handed with a cast on his right hand, but that will be removed later this week.</p>
<div class="sidebar">
<h2>Starting Lineups</h2>
<table class="sbnu-legacy-content-table" align="center" border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2"><tbody>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#157dec" width="125"><font color="#ffffff"><b>Dodgers</b></font></td>
<td colspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#1C3465" width="125"><font color="#ccc59b"><b>Padres</b></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>LF</td>
<td>Crawford (L)</td>
<td>SS</td>
<td>Cabrera (S)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>2B</td>
<td>Ellis</td>
<td>RF</td>
<td>Venable (L)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>CF</td>
<td>Kemp</td>
<td>LF</td>
<td>Quentin</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>1B</td>
<td>Gonzalez (L)</td>
<td>1B</td>
<td>Alonso (L)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>3B</td>
<td>Uribe</td>
<td>3B</td>
<td>Gyorko</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>RF</td>
<td>Ethier (L)</td>
<td>2B</td>
<td>Amarista (L)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>C</td>
<td>Ellis</td>
<td>CF</td>
<td>Maybin</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>SS</td>
<td>Sellers</td>
<td>C</td>
<td>Hundley</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>P</td>
<td>Beckett</td>
<td>P</td>
<td>Richard (L)</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<p>Friday marks three weeks since surgery to repair a torn ligament in his right thumb, so Ramirez is progressing as expected. Ramirez was originally slated to be ready to return to playing for the Dodgers eight weeks from surgery, which would be May 17. Though the increased drills, even at substantially reduced intensity than normal, could help speed up the pace.</p>
<p>"He's actually been able to do quite a bit of baseball stuff. Hopefully that will shorten the timetable for when he comes back, to be sharper," said manager Don Mattingly.</p>
<p>Dodgers shortstops (<span>Justin Sellers</span> for five games, Luis Cruz for one) have combined for one hit in 20 at-bats so far, with a home run in the absence of Ramirez.</p>
<h3>Notes</h3>
<ul>
<li>Tuesday marks the first game in Petco Park since the fences were brought in in the power alleys. The left center field wall is now 390 feet from home plate, down from 402, and the right center field wall is now down from 402 feet to 391.<br><br>"I can see it from my hotel room, that it's a little shorter. It was pretty big before, and it's still going to be a big ballpark," Mattingly said. "It's still going to be a pitcher's park. There are some areas out there where you can crush it and it won't go out. As a hitter that bothers you a little bit."</li>
<li> <span>Josh Beckett</span> is 5-2 with a 2.09 ERA in seven career starts against the Padres.</li>
<li>
<span>Ted Lilly</span> will start for Albuquerque on Wednesday night, the second start of his rehab assignment.</li>
<li>Exactly 100 years ago Tuesday, Nap Rucker shutout the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.thegoodphight.com/">Phillies</a> 1-0, giving the Dodgers the win in their new ballpark at the corner of Flatbush Avenue and Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn, Ebbets Field.<br>
</li>
<li> <span>Greg Vaughn</span>, who hit 50 home runs for <span class="spoiler"><strike>my fantasy team</strike></span> the Padres in 1998, will throw out the ceremonial first pitch San Diego's home opener.</li>
<li>The Dodgers are 40-41 all-time at Petco Park, but are 12-6 in San Diego in the last two seasons. The Dodgers have taken six of nine games against the Padres at Petco Park in each of the last two years and have not lost a road series to San Diego during that time.<br>
</li>
<li>The Padres are 22-22 all-time in home openers, including 22-21 in San Diego (they played their 1999 opener in Monterrey, Mexico)<br>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Game info</h3>
<p>Time: 3:40 p.m. PT</p>
<p>TV: KCAL</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2013_04_09_lanmlb_sdnmlb_1&mode=gameday">MLB Gameday</a></p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2013/4/9/4206538/hanley-ramirez-dodgersEric Stephen2013-04-09T12:00:11-07:002013-04-09T12:00:11-07:00Gonzalez has been hot against Padres
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<figcaption>Denis Poroy</figcaption>
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<p>Gonzalez is hitting .487/.512/.538 against his former team, including seven hits in eight at-bats against Tuesday night's starting pitcher.</p> <p>As the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> battle the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.gaslampball.com/">Padres</a> for their first road series of the year, it marks another return to San Diego for <span>Adrian Gonzalez</span>, who averaged 32 home runs and 100 RBI in his five seasons as the Padres' first baseman. Since getting traded by the Padres prior to the 2011 season, Gonzalez has enjoyed uncommon success against San Diego.</p>
<p>In nine games against the Padres, Gonzalez has hit .487/.512/.538 (19-for-39) with 10 runs batted in and seven mult-hit games. Only three of those games have come at Petco Park, as the Dodgers played their last road series of 2012 in San Diego. Gonzalez had two singles in all three games, hitting .462 (6-for-13) with three RBI.</p>
<div class="sidebar">
<h2>Starting Lineups</h2>
<table class="sbnu-legacy-content-table" align="center" border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2"><tbody>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#157dec" width="125"><font color="#ffffff"><b>Dodgers</b></font></td>
<td colspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#1C3465" width="125"><font color="#ccc59b"><b>Padres</b></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>LF</td>
<td>Crawford (L)</td>
<td>SS</td>
<td>Cabrera (S)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>2B</td>
<td>Ellis</td>
<td>RF</td>
<td>Venable (L)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>CF</td>
<td>Kemp</td>
<td>LF</td>
<td>Quentin</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>1B</td>
<td>Gonzalez (L)</td>
<td>1B</td>
<td>Alonso (L)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>3B</td>
<td>Uribe</td>
<td>3B</td>
<td>Gyorko</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>RF</td>
<td>Ethier (L)</td>
<td>2B</td>
<td>Amarista (L)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>C</td>
<td>Ellis</td>
<td>CF</td>
<td>Maybin</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>SS</td>
<td>Sellers</td>
<td>C</td>
<td>Hundley</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>P</td>
<td>Beckett</td>
<td>P</td>
<td>Richard (L)</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<p>Gonzalez, who had three multi-hit games over the weekend and hit .636 (7-for-11) against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bucsdugout.com/">Pirates</a>, will have to face southpaw Clayton Richard on Tuesday, the second of three consecutive left-handed starters against the Dodgers. But facing Richard hasn't been a problem for Gonzalez, who has seven singles in eight at-bats against his former teammate.</p>
<p>Richard has had success against the Dodgers' other big left-hander in the lineup, as <span>Andre Ethier</span> is hitting just .143/.194/.179 (4-for-28) against him. Two Dodgers who have punished Richard are <span>Matt Kemp</span> (.375/.394/.688, 12-for-32, four doubles, two home runs) and <span>Juan Uribe</span> (.385/.429/.731, 10-for-26, two home runs, double, triple).</p>
<p>The Dodgers overall are quite familiar with Richard, as he faced them six times last season and has made 13 starts against Los Angeles in the last four years. He is 6-3 against the Dodgers with a 3.16 ERA, with 42 strikeouts and 18 walks in 74 innings.</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2013/4/9/4205558/adrian-gonzalez-padres-clayton-richardEric Stephen2013-04-09T09:54:36-07:002013-04-09T09:54:36-07:00Dodgers look to spoil SD home opener
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/RGvjpgIPWggNwPbAlLYy_L0lR0o=/0x87:4000x2754/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/11229411/152872137.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Denis Poroy</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Tuesday marks the seventh time the Dodgers have played in the Padres' home opener, and second straight season.</p> <p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> for the second consecutive season are the opponent for the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.gaslampball.com/">Padres</a>' home opener in San Diego, and are looking for their fifth straight win in that situation. Josh Beckett makes his second start of the season, facing Clayton Richard for San Diego.</p>
<p>This will be the seventh time in the Padres' 45 years that the Dodgers play in San Diego's home opener. The Dodgers lost the Padres' home opener in 1973 and 1988, both games lost by Don Suton, but since then the Dodgers have played spoiler in San Diego.</p>
<p><b><a target="_blank" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SDN/SDN197304060.shtml">Apr. 6, 1973 - Padres 4, Dodgers 2</a></b>: On opening day for both teams, Bill Russell had three hits for the Dodgers, but San Diego rallied for three runs in the eighth inning to break a 1-1 tie and take the game.</p>
<p><b><a target="_blank" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SDN/SDN198804120.shtml">Apr. 12, 1988 - Padres 5, Dodgers 3</a></b>: Sutton, in the final year of his career and back with the Dodgers after seven years away, held a 3-1 lead but left with the bases loaded in the fifth inning. Lefty Brad Havens was brought in to face John Kruk, who hit a grand slam to give the Padres the lead, and the win.</p>
<p><b><a target="_blank" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SDN/SDN199004100.shtml">Apr. 10, 1990 - Dodgers 1, Padres 0</a></b>: For some reason the Dodgers and Padres opened the season with one game at Dodger Stadium, then traveled south for a series in San Diego. Tim Belcher pitched a shutout in San Diego - his 10th shutout in 63 career starts to that point - for the Dodgers' second win in as many days, making Juan Samuel's fifth-inning home run against Eric Show stand up.</p>
<p><b><a target="_blank" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SDN/SDN199204090.shtml">Apr. 9, 1992 - Dodgers 6, Padres 3</a></b>: Brett Butler and Eric Karros homered in a four-run first inning, and Craig Lefferts was able to retire just one of the seven batters he faced. It was enough support for Tom Candiotti, who pitched into the eighth inning for the win.</p>
<p><b><a target="_blank" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SDN/SDN200904060.shtml">Apr. 6, 2009 - Dodgers 4, Padres 1</a></b>: One year after winning his major league debut at Petco Park, <span>Hiroki Kuroda</span> pitched into the sixth inning for a win on opening day. <span>James Loney</span> had three hits, two RBI, and a stolen base in the win, a rarity. Jake Peavy was 13-1 in 22 career starts against the Dodgers before that game, and the Padres had won his last nine starts against Los Angeles and 14 of his last 15 outings against the Dodgers.</p>
<p><b><a target="_blank" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SDN/SDN201204050.shtml">Apr. 5, 2012 - Dodgers 5, Padres 3</a></b>: On opening day for both teams, <span>Clayton Kershaw</span> left early but not because of anything the Padres did. Kershaw was sick, and in between puking was able to pitch three scoreless innings. <span>Josh Lindblom</span> and the bullpen picked up the slack, and <span>Matt Kemp</span> homered and drove in three runs to give the Dodgers the victory.</p>
<h3>Game info</h3>
<p>Time: 3:40 p.m. PT</p>
<p>TV: KCAL</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2013/4/9/4205216/dodgers-padres-home-opener-historyEric Stephen