San Diego @ Los Angeles preview
Dodger Stadium
Last Meeting ( May 19, 2010 ) San Diego 10, LA Dodgers 5
The San Diego Padres’ top player is officially out of his deep rut.
All-Star first baseman Adrian Gonzalez put his slump behind him on Wednesday with a six-RBI night in the Padres’ 10-5 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers in the first game of a two-game series that ends Thursday night in Los Angeles.
Gonzalez was in the midst of a 10-for-58 stretch (.172) prior to going 3-for-5 and hitting his ninth homer of the season.
The long ball was Gonzalez’s second in three games. Prior to that, he had just one homer since April 25.
Gonzalez had just three RBIs in May heading into Wednesday’s contest.
He often doesn’t get a steady stream of good pitches to hit because of the Padres' not-so-ferocious lineup. Teams respect Gonzalez and refuse to let the slugger beat them.
One night earlier, San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy ordered Gonzalez intentionally walked in the bottom of the 12th even though Gonzalez represented the winning run. The strategy worked when Giants closer Brian Wilson retired Chase Headley to end the game.
San Diego has been able to retain its position atop the National League West even with Gonzalez struggling. So it represents good timing should Gonzalez be about to go on a hot streak.
Gonzalez, who now has 25 RBIs on the season, wasn’t the only hot Padres batter on Wednesday as San Diego ended the Dodgers’ nine-game winning streak.
Right fielder Will Venable went 4-for-5 with a walk and scored three runs. Venable was hitting just .223 entering the game.
Second baseman David Eckstein continued being the hottest San Diego hitter of late with two hits and two RBIs. Eckstein has 28 hits in his last 84 at-bats (.333) and is batting .295 for the season.
Left-hander Clayton Kershaw (3-2) will be on the mound for the Dodgers and he handcuffed the Padres on May 15 in San Diego.
Kershaw allowed just one run and three hits over seven innings in his second consecutive strong outing. Kershaw allowed just two hits over eight shutout innings against Colorado in his previous start.
Kershaw has a 3.55 earned-run average and has struck out 52 batters in 45 2/3 innings.
Dodgers left fielder Manny Ramirez is questionable to play in the field Thursday after injuring his left foot prior to Wednesday’s game. Ramirez was available as a pinch hitter and struck out.
Not having Ramirez left the Dodgers down two star hitters in the starting lineup with right fielder Andre Ethier (pinkie) placed on the disabled list earlier this week.
Kevin Correia (4-3, 4.35 ERA) will start for the Padres in his second outing since the death of his younger brother.
Correia came off the bereavement list to start against Kershaw and the Dodgers last Saturday and he took the loss. He gave up four runs and five hits in 5 1/3 innings.
Padres left fielder Kyle Blanks missed Wednesday’s game with an elbow injury. Blanks is batting just .157.