Major League Baseball

Manny, Hudson power Dodgers past Pads

Published May. 1, 2009 7:15 a.m. ET

share

facebookxredditlink

foxsports

Manny Ramirez followed Orlando Hudson's two-run homer with a long ball of his own, and the Los Angeles Dodgers scored the go-ahead run in the seventh inning on an error by catcher Nick Hundley to beat the San Diego Padres 8-5 on Thursday night.

The Dodgers improved to 7-0 at Chavez Ravine in the opener of an 11-game homestand. It's their best start at home since 1947, when the Brooklyn Dodgers started out 8-0 at Ebbets Field in Jackie Robinson's rookie year.

Ronald Belisario (1-2) recorded his first major league victory with an inning of one-hit relief. Jonathan Broxton, the sixth Dodgers pitcher, got his seventh save in eight attempts,striking out the side after a leadoff walk.

Padres starter Josh Geer allowed four runs, seven hits and no walks over six innings and struck out four in his seventh big league start. The right-hander also had two hits, including an RBI single, and left with a 5-4 lead before the Dodgers rallied with two runs in the seventh.

Luke Gregerson (0-1) gave up singles to his first three batters, including Mark Loretta, whose tying RBI single gave him seven hits in 10 at-bats as a pinch-hitter this season.

One out later, Hudson singled and Casey Blake was held up at third base by coach Larry Bowa. But when the two-hop throw from right fielder Brian Giles skipped past Hundley - and Gregerson backing up the play - Blake came home with the go-ahead run.

James McDonald, the Dodgers' control-plagued 24-year-old rookie, retired only four of his first 10 batters in his fourth major league start - allowing three runs, two hits and four walks. Altogether, he has walked 14 batters in 14 1-3 innings.

Jeff Weaver made 59 pitches over four scoreless innings of relief, allowing four hits and striking out four in his return to the Dodgers after a three-year absence. The right-hander left the game in the sixth with a 4-3 lead, but the Padres pulled ahead when Adrian Gonzalez hit an RBI double and scored on a fielder's choice grounder by Kevin Kouzmanoff.

Hudson tied it 3-all with his third homer of the season after a double by Rafael Furcal. Three pitches later, Ramirez hit his fifth homer and 532nd of his career, two behind Jimmie Foxx for 16th place all-time.

But McDonald walked three in a row to force in the tying run - after Gonzalez led off with a single that extended his hitting streak to 12 games. Another run scored on a double-play grounder by Luis Rodriguez before Geer's RBI single made it 3-1.

Notes

The longest home winning streak by the franchise to start a season is nine, set in 1946. ... The Dodgers' 9-4 loss to San Francisco's Tim Lincecum on Wednesday night made them 0-10 in 13 games against reigning NL Cy Young Award winners dating back to Sept. 9, 2003, when Edwin Jackson beat Randy Johnson at Arizona in his major league debut. Padres RHP Jake Peavy was 4-0 against Los Angeles last season after winning Cy Young honors in 2007. ... Weaver's bid for his first major league home run was caught just in front of the left-field fence by Chase Headley for the first out in the third inning. ... The Dodgers have outscored their opponents 27-3 in the seventh inning.

share

Get more from Major League Baseball Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more

in this topic

Major League Baseball