The Dodgers came into the season with arguably the deepest and most dangerous lineup in the National League. Through their first four games, though, that hasn't exactly held true.
In a season-opening, four-game split with a San Diego team that hardly appears to be their equal, the Dodgers scored a grand total of 14 runs. They also left 35 men on base, 18 of them in scoring position and seven of them at third base. And in the finale alone, a one-run loss, they stranded 11 men, leaving the bases loaded twice and failing to drive in Orlando Hudson after he led off the ninth with a triple against new Padres closer Heath Bell. For the series, the Dodgers batted .184 (7-for-38) with men in scoring position.
"We certainly expect to score runs," manager Joe Torre said. "It has been frustrating, but that is the way it sometimes goes until you start swinging the bats a little bit better. We're taking good at-bats, but it just hasn't been there for us."
The team is batting .242 overall. While some of the club's key players have thrived -- both James Loney and Matt Kemp are batting .400, Andre Ethier .333 -- others have sputtered -- Manny Ramirez is hitting .214, Russell Martin .125 and Casey Blake .077.
"That is going to happen over the course of a season," said Ramirez, the first guy who failed to drive in Hudson in the ninth inning. "We're battling through nine innings, and that is what matters. It's a long season. We just have to keep pushing and grinding it out until we get it."
PADRES 4, DODGERS 3: The Padres rallied for three runs in the eighth inning against Dodgers relievers Will Ohman and Cory Wade, ruining what had been an 11-inning scoreless streak for the bullpen to begin the season. Ohman, signed last week for the express purpose of getting left-handed hitters out, gave up an opposite-field homer to Adrian Gonzalez. Wade then gave up a triple to Edgar Gonzalez, a single to Nick Hundley and a double to Luis Rodriguez.
