Chase Headley had a solo home run and a two-run double to lead the San Diego Padres over the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-2 on Wednesday afternoon at Petco Park, in the first game of a brief two-game series. Clayton Richard pitched seven strong innings for his second win of the season.
The Dodgers scored two quick runs in the first inning, highlighted by an RBI double by Elian Herrera, his first major league hit. Herrera, who made his first major league start on Wednesday, also scored later in the inning to give the Dodgers a 2-0 lead.
Headley homered in the first inning to cut the lead to 2-1, then hit a two-run double in the sixth to give the Padres the lead. Chris Capuano pitched into the seventh inning, but suffered his first loss of the season. He knew the double to Headley was the turning point in the game.
"I was hoping for a double play there and trying to force contact but guided a changeup a little up in the zone and he was able to hit it to the gap," Capuano said.
Richard allowed just two hits after the first inning, and Padres' pitchers retired 15 Dodgers in a row from the fourth to the ninth inning before Bobby Abreu singled with one out in the final inning. Dale Thayer pitched a scoreless ninth for his fourth save of the season for the Padres.
"We just didn't do enough to score," manager Don Mattingly said. "You can't expect to win when you basically don't do anything, after the first two hitters until the ninth inning."
Aaron Harang gets the start for the Dodgers on Thursday night as they try to split the series, while Edinson Volquez starts for San Diego.
For more Dodgers news and notes, be sure to read True Blue LA.
