JOE RESNICK
Associated Press
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Back-to-back 1-0 losses to the Los Angeles Dodgers have sent the San Diego Padres reeling into the All-Star break 13 games below .500 and 12 games out in the NL West.
Padres manager Bud Black is confident the offense will get rolling next month when they get shortstop Everth Cabrera, second baseman Jedd Gyorko and first baseman Yonder Alonso back from the disabled list. But the club’s latest shutout loss overshadowed another strong outing by first-time All-Star Tyson Ross.
Ross (7-10) gave up six hits in seven innings, striking out nine and walking one. The 27-year-old right-hander gave up his only run in the sixth on a one-out RBI single by Yasiel Puig after striking him out his first two times up.
“I felt good. I felt a little tired in the sixth, made a couple of mistakes, and they capitalized on them,” Ross said. “I’m continuing to learn and develop, and next time around I won’t make those mistakes.”
Padres starters have a 1.71 ERA over the last 16 games, and have allowed three runs or fewer in every game during that stretch — tying a franchise record set in 2007.
“Up to now, the highlight has been our pitching,” Black said. “We’ve really seen some guys make strides. The engine of your team is the pitching staff, and those guys have held up their end of the bargain.”
Ryu (10-5) gave up two hits in six innings without a walk and had a season-high 10 strikeouts. The left-hander retired his first 11 batters and allowed only one hit through the first five innings, a two-out single in the fourth by Carlos Quentin. The Padres’ only other hit against him was a leadoff single by Alexi Amarista in the sixth.
San Diego was shut out for the 14th time. It was the first time the Dodgers have won consecutive 1-0 decisions since July 8-9, 2011 — also against the Padres.
“Offensively, it’s been a struggle,” Black said. “We’ve had our share of injuries to a number of our key performers, which have hurt our club. But that’s no excuse because all teams have injuries.
“For us to improve our record in the second half, we’re going to have to pick it up offensively.”
J.P. Howell relieved Brandon League in the seventh with runners at first and second and retired Brooks Conrad on a lineout. Kenley Jansen struggled to get his 27th save, helping the Dodgers maintain their one-game lead over San Francisco.
Jansen struck out Jake Goebbert with runners at the corners, then fanned pinch-hitter Seth Smith to end it after a visit from manager Don Mattingly.
“Basically, he just told me to go with my best stuff, be aggressive and attack them. And that’s what I did,” Jansen said. “Pitching out of a jam like that is what makes you better.”
NOTES: Padres reliever Huston Street found out during the game that he was added to the NL All-Star squad to replace Ross, who will make the trip to Minnesota but won’t pitch. … The Padres’ rotation coming out of the All-Star break will be Kennedy, Ross and Odrisamer Despaigne for the home series with the Mets, and Eric Stults for the opener against the Cubs at Wrigley Field. … This was the 10th time in 20 starts this season that Ross pitched at least six innings while allowing fewer than two earned runs.
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