Cuban connection leads Dodgers on Cuban Heritage Day

LOS ANGELES -- It figures on Cuban Heritage Day at Dodgers Stadium rookie sensation Yasiel Puig would have something up his sleeve Sunday.

With flair, flamboyance and a knack for the spectacular, every a part of his intrigue as his cannon right arm and lethal bat, Puig had something special in store as the Dodgers honored his fellow countrymen in Los Angeles.

And so, in the bottom of the sixth he strolled to home plate in a tied game and promptly clobbered a solo home run off San Diego Padres reliever Dale Thayer to help send the Dodgers to a 2-1 victory to complete a three-game sweep over the Padres on a sun-splashed day at Chavez Ravine.

It was Puig's 14th home run and 32nd RBI of the season, and it was just barely enough to send the surging Dodgers to their 51st win in 64 games since June 22.

"As it should be with Yasiel," Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said.

Meanwhile Dodgers reliever Paco Rodriguez, who is of Cuban descent, entered the game with one out in the eighth inning and a runner at third base with the Dodgers leading by a run and proceeded to strike out Will Venable and get Chris Denorfia to ground out to escape the inning.

"A great day for the Cubans," Brian Wilson announced later inside the Dodgers festive clubhouse.

Thanks to Puig and Rodriguez.

"Paco and I were very happy with the event, and that (the Dodgers) did it," Puig said.

The fact he topped it off with a home run made it even better.

"(I felt) great to hit a home run for the fans and the Cuban community," Puig said.

Zack Greinke won for the 14th time while limiting the Padres to two hits over seven innings while lowering his ERA to 2.78.

"Good game, made some mistakes but they were hit at people and that helped a lot," said Greinke, who said he felt tired early in the game but got stronger as it went on.

And so it goes for the Dodgers, who just concluded a remarkable August with 23 wins in 29 games and own a commanding 10 1/2 game lead in the National League West over the Arizona Diamondbacks.

About the only thing the Padres could muster against Greinke was a slight challenge in the top of the third when they parlayed two walks and a single into one run to take a 1-0 lead.

But that did not last long as the Dodgers answered in the bottom of the third when Carl Crawford doubled then scored on a single by Mark Ellis to make it 1-1.

Kenley Jansen retired the Padres in order in the ninth, striking out two in the process, to pick up the save.

Padres pitcher Tyson Ross had 10 strikeouts in five innings and left with the score tied, and as has been the case much of this season, he was the victim of a lack of run support.

"That's tough, no doubt about it," Padres manager Bud Black said. "That's been going on a little bit now with a lot of our starters. I mean, Cash (Andrew Cashner) has pitched really well his last three starts and doesn't have much to show for it, either. So offensively, we have to scratch and claw for everything right now.

"We have some of our bigger bats out of the lineup and some or our guys a little banged-up," Black added. "But our pitchers are really hanging in there. They're keeping the games close and giving our team a chance to win. We're just that one big hit away from getting us over the top."

NOTES: In an effort to strengthen their bench for the stretch run -- and beyond -- the Dodgers acquired veteran third baseman Michael Young from the Philadelphia Phillies late Saturday night for Double-A Chattanooga left-hander Rob Rasmussen. Young can play nearly all infield positions, although he's primarily a third baseman at this stage, and brings postseason experience to the surging Dodgers. Young was hitting .272 with a .333 on-base percentage and a .389 slugging percentage with eight home runs in 125 games for the Phillies. ... Outfielder Matt Kemp, who is rehabbing from a left ankle sprain, remained in the minor leagues at least one more day Sunday as he pushes toward a return to the Dodgers. Through Saturday, Kemp was 0-for-11 with five strikeouts in three rehab games. ... With rosters expanding, the Padres promoted left-handed reliever Tommy Layne and catcher Chris Robinson from Triple-A Tucson and it's expected right-handed relievers Brad Boxberger and Brad Brach will join San Diego this week.