Dodgersclub.com | Los Angeles Dodgers News, dodgers Scores, Game Recaps & Commentary - <div> The Dodgers not only got off to a 13-6 start, but they also won 12 of their first 16 against National League West opponents during a season-opening stretch in which they will play 28 of their first 33 games within the division. The Dodgers already have won five of six from Colorado, swept a three-game series from San Francisco, and took two of three from Arizona. Their only hiccup thus far has been a season-opening, four-game split at San Diego in which the final game got away in the eighth inning, a big reason why the Padres continue to hover just behind the Dodgers at the top of the division standings. With the notoriously weak division appearing to be no stronger than it has been in recent seasons, the Dodgers are the clear favorites to win it. But they aren't scheduled to play a contending team outside the division until visiting Philadelphia on May 12.</div>PLAYER NEWS: --RHP Hiroki Kuroda received a cortisone injection in his strained left oblique muscle during his visit with team physician Dr. Neal ElAttrache in Los Angeles and consequently won't throw again until at least this weekend. Given that Kuroda almost certainly will need a minor league rehabilitation start before being activated, the Dodgers probably can't count on getting him back for a couple more weeks. Dodgers trainer Stan Conte stressed that Kuroda is making progress in his recovery. --3B Casey Blake hit his fifth home run of the season, a two-run shot off Barry Zito, with one out in the top of the seventh. It was just the eighth hit for Blake in 31 career at-bats against the veteran left-hander. Blake is tied with Andre Ethier for the team lead in homers despite hitting just .246, and those homers account for one-third of his 15 hits. --LHP Randy Wolf suffered his second consecutive hard-luck loss. Wolf gave up three runs in a first inning that might have been one-two-three if not for a couple of misplayed flyballs on the second and third batters, the first of which resulted when Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier couldn't hear each other calling for it because of howling winds and the second of which Kemp simply misjudged in the wind. Wolf allowed just two hits from the second inning until he left the game after the sixth, but for the second consecutive start, he failed to get a win because rookie reliever Ronald Belisario allowed a one-run lead to slip away in the eighth inning. --SS Rafael Furcal has reached base in all 18 of the games in which he has played this season. Furcal grounded to third to lead off the game, marking the first time in his last 10 starts that he failed to reach base leading off the first inning. He went 0 for 3 with two walks, marking just the second time in his last 11 games that he failed to get a hit. MEDICAL WATCH: RHP Cory Wade (right shoulder bursitis) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 12. He will make a rehab appearance for Class A Inland Empire on April 28. RHP Hiroki Kuroda (strained left oblique) went on the 15-day disabled list April 11. He received a cortisone shot and will need to make a rehab start before rejoining the Dodgers. RHP Claudio Vargas (right elbow tendinitis) went on the 60-day disabled list retroactive to April 6. He might return as soon as he's eligible. INF Doug Mientkiewicz (dislocated right shoulder) went on the 15-day disabled list April 17. He had surgery April 20, and he is unlikely to return before September. RHP Jason Schmidt (right shoulder surgery) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 30. He threw in extended spring training in early April. He will make a rehab appearance for Class A Inland Empire on April 28. ROTATION: LHP Randy Wolf RHP Chad Billingsley LHP Clayton Kershaw LHP Eric Stults RHP James McDonald BULLPEN: RHP Jonathan Broxton (closer) LHP Hong-Chih Kuo RHP Guillermo Mota LHP Will Ohman RHP Ronald Belisario RHP Ramon Troncoso LHP Scott Elbert CATCHERS: Russell Martin Brad Ausmus INFIELDERS: 1B James Loney 2B Orlando Hudson SS Rafael Furcal 3B Casey Blake INF Juan Castro INF Mark Loretta INF Blake DeWitt OUTFIELDERS: LF Manny Ramirez CF Matt Kemp RF Andre Ethier OF Juan Pierre

The Dodgers not only got off to a 13-6 start, but they also won 12 of their first 16 against National League West opponents during a season-opening stretch in which they will play 28 of their first 33 games within the division. The Dodgers already have won five of six from Colorado, swept a three-game series from San Francisco, and took two of three from Arizona. Their only hiccup thus far has been a season-opening, four-game split at San Diego in which the final game got away in the eighth inning, a big reason why the Padres continue to hover just behind the Dodgers at the top of the division standings. With the notoriously weak division appearing to be no stronger than it has been in recent seasons, the Dodgers are the clear favorites to win it. But they aren't scheduled to play a contending team outside the division until visiting Philadelphia on May 12.

PLAYER NEWS:

--RHP Hiroki Kuroda received a cortisone injection in his strained left oblique muscle during his visit with team physician Dr. Neal ElAttrache in Los Angeles and consequently won't throw again until at least this weekend. Given that Kuroda almost certainly will need a minor league rehabilitation start before being activated, the Dodgers probably can't count on getting him back for a couple more weeks. Dodgers trainer Stan Conte stressed that Kuroda is making progress in his recovery.

--3B Casey Blake hit his fifth home run of the season, a two-run shot off Barry Zito, with one out in the top of the seventh. It was just the eighth hit for Blake in 31 career at-bats against the veteran left-hander. Blake is tied with Andre Ethier for the team lead in homers despite hitting just .246, and those homers account for one-third of his 15 hits.

--LHP Randy Wolf suffered his second consecutive hard-luck loss. Wolf gave up three runs in a first inning that might have been one-two-three if not for a couple of misplayed flyballs on the second and third batters, the first of which resulted when Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier couldn't hear each other calling for it because of howling winds and the second of which Kemp simply misjudged in the wind. Wolf allowed just two hits from the second inning until he left the game after the sixth, but for the second consecutive start, he failed to get a win because rookie reliever Ronald Belisario allowed a one-run lead to slip away in the eighth inning.

--SS Rafael Furcal has reached base in all 18 of the games in which he has played this season. Furcal grounded to third to lead off the game, marking the first time in his last 10 starts that he failed to reach base leading off the first inning. He went 0 for 3 with two walks, marking just the second time in his last 11 games that he failed to get a hit.

MEDICAL WATCH:

RHP Cory Wade (right shoulder bursitis) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 12. He will make a rehab appearance for Class A Inland Empire on April 28.

RHP Hiroki Kuroda (strained left oblique) went on the 15-day disabled list April 11. He received a cortisone shot and will need to make a rehab start before rejoining the Dodgers.

RHP Claudio Vargas (right elbow tendinitis) went on the 60-day disabled list retroactive to April 6. He might return as soon as he's eligible.

INF Doug Mientkiewicz (dislocated right shoulder) went on the 15-day disabled list April 17. He had surgery April 20, and he is unlikely to return before September.

RHP Jason Schmidt (right shoulder surgery) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 30. He threw in extended spring training in early April. He will make a rehab appearance for Class A Inland Empire on April 28.

ROTATION:

LHP Randy Wolf

RHP Chad Billingsley

LHP Clayton Kershaw

LHP Eric Stults

RHP James McDonald

BULLPEN:

RHP Jonathan Broxton (closer)

LHP Hong-Chih Kuo

RHP Guillermo Mota

LHP Will Ohman

RHP Ronald Belisario

RHP Ramon Troncoso

LHP Scott Elbert

CATCHERS:

Russell Martin

Brad Ausmus

INFIELDERS:

1B James Loney

2B Orlando Hudson

SS Rafael Furcal

3B Casey Blake

INF Juan Castro

INF Mark Loretta

INF Blake DeWitt

OUTFIELDERS:

LF Manny Ramirez

CF Matt Kemp

RF Andre Ethier

OF Juan Pierre