By the Skin of Their Teeth...

Series Recap—Dodgers at San Diego

4/27: Dodgers 6, Padres 5

Down two in the top of the ninth, Nomar and Martin ruined Trevor Hoffman's day, literally, as the Bums scored off of him.. It was Trevor Hoffman Day at Petco, the Pads honoring Hoffman before the game for passing Lee Smith as the all-time saves leader. There were even commemorative clocks given to the fans in attendance. So it goes.

Hendrickson pitched well again, but Billingsley had a rough inning. Seanez picked up the win, his first in a Dodger uniform in twelve years.

4/28: Padres 3, Dodgers 2

Tomko got the first eleven batters he faced out, then gave of three runs on four straight hits, then got the next eight hitters out before finally running out of gas in the seventh. Those three runs were all that the Pads got, but Greg Maddux was his usual efficient self, so it was all they needed.

4/29: Dodgers 5, Padres 4 (17 innings)

Grady outmanaged Bud Black in the marathon, helped by a bullpen that only gave up one hit over 10 2/3 innings. As the game got late, Black used up both his bench and his bullpen, so that by the 13th he had to call on rookie Justin Hampson to go as long as possible, and on Pete LaForrest to play first. Sampson pitched well, all things considered. Meanwhile, Grady still had a rested Billingsley available, with Valdez still on the bench for a double switch. It paid off as Billingsley remembered how to pitch (and probably could've gone longer), and Valdez scored the go-ahead run after LaForrest's error put Valdez aboard.

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The boys didn't hit much, but then nobody hits much in Petco. It was good to get out with another series win. Now the Dodgers play the Dbacks, who are coming off a sweep of the Jints.