Dodgers 4, Padres 3
SAN DIEGO -- Carl Crawford continued his hot streak, hitting a leadoff homer and legging out a standup triple as the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the San Diego Padres 4-3 before an announced crowd of 22,843 on Wednesday nighit at Petco Park.
Crawford drilled an 0-1 pitch by Padres' starter Eric Stults over the left-field wall to give the Dodgers (5-3) a lead they would never relinquish. Crawford, who went 2-for-4, also scored on a fifth-inning single by Mark Ellis after a triple to right-center. The Padres (2-6) intentionally walked Crawford in the sixth with runners at second and third and two out.
Crawford, who went 2-for-3 with a walk and run in the Dodgers' 9-3 loss to the Padres on Tuesday, has four consecutive multi-hit games and six in his seven starts. He is batting .464 with an on-base percentage of .531.
Dodgers starter Chad Billingsley, making his debut after starting the season on the disabled list with a pain in his elbow, had a strong outing. Billingsley (1-0) limited San Diego to five hits in six innings. He struck out three and walked three.
In 23 starts against the Padres, Billingsley is 13-8 overall.
Closer Brandon League gave up a run in the ninth before retiring Chris Denorfia for his third save. The Padres also got a run in the inning when Everth Cabrera scored on a passed ball.
Denorfia went 2-for-5 with an RBI for the Padres. Catcher Nick Hundley went 4-for-4 with three singles and a double.
Stults (1-1) allowed four runs on eight hits in five innings. He struck out four and walked none.
Crawford, who entered the game tied with Milwaukee's Jean Segura for the National League batting lead at .458, put the Padres in an early hole with a leadoff homer to left on an 0-1 pitch from Stults.
In the second, catcher A.J. Ellis tagged Stults for a two-run shot to give the Dodgers a 3-0 advantage.
The Padres cut the lead to 3-1 in the fourth. Denorfia's double to right-center scored Will Venable, who walked.
NOTES: Andre Ethier, who turned 31 on Wednesday, extended his hitting streak to 10 games, dating back to Oct. 1, 2012. Ethier began the night hitting .355 (11-for-31) with four doubles, two home runs and four RBIs during that stretch. ... Dodgers third baseman Luis Cruz singled in the first inning to end an 0-for-17 skid. ... Los Angeles catcher Tim Federowicz was optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque to make room for Billingsley, who was activated for his start Wednesday. ... Denorfia got the start in left for the Padres in place of Carlos Quentin, who left Tuesday's game in the seventh inning after being hit by a pitch just above his right wrist. X-rays on Quentin were negative. Denorfia extended his hitting streak to six games with a single in the fourth inning.
