<b>SAN DIEGO (AP)</b> -- Robbie Erlin allowed four
hits over 7 2-3 innings and fellow rookie Jedd Gyorko hit his 20th homer
to lead the San Diego Padres to a 2-0 victory over the NL West champion
Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday night.
The Dodgers, fresh from clinching the
division title on Thursday at Arizona, let their backups get the playing
time. No Dodgers regulars were in the starting lineup after they
secured their 12th NL West championship since divisional play started in
1969.
Erlin (3-3) matched his career-high with seven strikeouts as only three Dodgers reached second base against him.
Gyorko homered in the fifth inning,
becoming the fifth rookie second baseman ever to reach that milestone.
Gyorko gave the Padres a 2-0 lead when he hit a fastball from Edinson
Volquez (9-12) 417 feet to center field.
Gyorko, who had two RBIs, is the first second baseman to hit 20 homers in franchise history.
Erlin is 2-1 with a 1.82 ERA in four starts since being recalled on Aug. 25, his fourth stint with the Padres.
Huston Street worked the ninth to notch his 32nd save in 33 chances after Luke Gregerson recorded an out in the eighth.
The Dodgers had runners on first and third in the ninth but Street struck out pinch-hitters Yasiel Puig and Matt Kemp.
Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said while
catching the Atlanta Braves and St. Louis Cardinals for home-field
advantage in the playoffs would be beneficial, that didn't trump resting
his starters.
While entering the contest 10 games
under .500, the Padres had been playing the NL's top teams tough. They
were coming off a 6-4 trip in which they took five of seven against the
Braves and Pittsburgh Pirates.
The Padres scored in the first on Chris Denorfia's aggressive base-running.
Dodgers shortstop Dee Gordon's two-base
throwing error placed Denorfia at second with one out. Denorfia stole
third before Gyorko grounded out to third baseman Jerry Hairston.
Hairston looked Denorfia back, then
threw to first baseman Drew Butera. Denorfia broke for the plate when
Hairston let the ball go and Butera's relay was just late to get him.
Skip Shumaker had three of the Dodgers' six hits, including two doubles.
NOTES:
Mattingly will employ a six-man rotation over the final nine games. LHP
Clayton Kershaw, who was pushed back from his regular turn, starts
Saturday against the Padres. ... Dodgers OF Andre Either missed his
seventh straight game with a sprained ankle. Either did take batting
practice. ... Dodgers 1B Adrian Gonzalez was out of the starting lineup
with a tender quad. ... Dodgers SS Hanley Ramirez was rested because of
sore hamstring and back. ... Before the game the Padres honored the
Municipal de Tijuana Seleccionados which recently finished third in the
Little League World Series.
