LOS ANGELES — An old adage, yes, but still true: They all look the same in the box score.
Hits, that is, regardless of whether they are line drives to the gap or dribblers down the first-base line, such as the one Andre Ethier had Sunday to extend his hitting streak to 27 games, second
highest in Los Angeles Dodgers history.
But for the second consecutive game, the Dodgers’ offense overall took the day off, this time against San Diego starter Dustin Moseley, and the Padres defeated the Dodgers, 7-0.
All San Diego needed against Dodgers starter Jon Garland was a three-run second inning, as Moseley held the Dodgers scoreless on three hits through seven innings.
But the Padres gave themselves plenty of insurance by jumping on Dodgers reliever Hong-Chih Kuo in the ninth inning, when they scored four more times. Kuo had just been reinstated from the disabled list.
Although Moseley came into the game with an 0-3 record, mostly due to poor support from the normally light-hitting Padres, the right-hander’s earned-run average was 1.99. On the road, it was an even stingier 0.92.
“He’s been tough all year,” said Garland, a former Padre. “He’s throwing strikes, he’s getting ahead of guys in a hurry and keeping them off balance. It’s impressive.”
On a resplendent day at Chavez Ravine, Ethier extended his streak in the seventh inning in his third at-bat against Moseley in front of an announced crowd of 39,869.
Ethier hit a ground ball that hugged the line. San Diego first baseman Brad Hawpe dived to his left to make the play but the ball scampered off his glove and the play was ruled a hit.
Willie Davis holds the Dodgers’ franchise record for a hitting streak at 31 games, set in 1969.
Ethier_who has batted .402 during the streak_said as he crossed first base, he didn’t think about whether the grounder would be called a hit or not. “If they put a hit, they put a hit, if they put an error, whatever,” he said.
“(I was) just trying to figure out a way to get the job done and get on base . . . walk, error, hit anything that gives us a chance to start scoring runs, especially in a ballgame like that where not much offense is being shown,” Ethier said.
In the second inning, Garland (1-2) walked Nick Hundley, then gave up singles to Orlando Hudson, Cameron Maybin and Brad Hawpe.
“What killed me in that inning was the lead-off walk,” Garland said. “They really didn’t hit the ball hard that inning.”
Hawpe’s two-run single in the inning extended his remarkable showing at Dodger Stadium, where he entered the game with a .358 career batting average, second only to Roberto Clemente’s .377. Overall, Hawpe is hitting a paltry .169 this season.
Hawpe said he didn’t know why he hits so well at the stadium. “I’ve just always enjoyed playing here,” he said. “Obviously, I may like it because I’ve had success.”
San Diego’s win gave them two of three in the series against the Dodgers, who next host the Chicago Cubs on Monday night in the first of a three-game series.
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