Dan Haren opened things up for the Dodgers in San Diego at Petco Park in the opener of a three game series with the Padres. The final line for Haren consisted of six innings pitched, five hits given up, and two runs, only one of which was earned. Haren struck out three and walked one, putting together a quality start and giving his squad a chance to win the game. That’s all that Don Mattingly and his team want, a chance to win.

This is the second quality start in a row for Haren, who had struggled a bit at the back end of the rotation with some inconsistency issues. Haren would get a no decision. A handful of pitchers in the bullpen combined to keep the Padres in check, getting the game into extra innings. Dodgers starter Kevin Correia had to take over in the 12th after the bullpen had been spent, and the Padres knocked in their walk off game winner with two outs. Correia took the loss, throwing 22 pitches in his inning of work.

The Dodgers tied the game in the third inning beginning with two consecutive singles by Justin Turner and A.J. Ellis. Hanley Ramirez tied the game at one with a double to right field, the first of his three hits. Los Angeles was held down until the eighth inning when Ramirez’s third hit of night rocketed into the left field stands for his second RBI of the game, tying the game at two. Ramirez finished the game going 3-4 with two RBI’s before exiting the game in the eighth inning, being replaced by Miguel Rojas. Rojas walked to lead off the tenth; a Matt Kemp strikeout, Adrian Gonzalez fly out, and Carl Crawford ground out ended the inning quickly. Andre Ethier added two hits in his five plate appearances, striking out twice.

The Dodgers lose game one 3-2. Zack Greinke will take the ball to the mound in the second game of the series with the Padres. The Dodgers did receive some good news about the Scott Van Slyke injury. Van Slyke said he just turned his ankle and is fine to play after leaving the game in Arizona with the ankle injury. 

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