Padres Blanked Again, 4-0

Facing Kevin Brown on Saturday after being shutout by Wilson Alvarez Friday night, the San Diego Padres were again blanked, this time 4-0 in Los Angeles.

Kevin Brown (14-8) and two relievers, Tom Martin and Eric Gagne, combined for a six hit shutout of the Padres.

It was the second time in two weeks that the Dodgers had consecutive shutouts. They beat Colorado 5-0 and 3-0 at home on Aug. 30-31. The Padres were blanked in back-to-back games for the first time since July 25-26 of last season, when the Diamondbacks beat them 10-0 and 12-0 at Arizona.

Righthander Jake Peavy tried to win his third straight start. He had allowed just a run in each of his last two outings, both against Houston, covering 12 innings before facing LA. During that span, Peavy had yielded only three hits.

Peavy (11-11) did not fair nearly as well Saturday. He allowed four runs, one unearned, and seven hits over four innings.

Sean Green hit a two run homer in the first. On Friday Green hit a solo shot in the first to open the scoring. He has now hit five homers in the last six games.

Alex Cora drove in the Dodgers' third run with a sacrifice fly in the third, and Paul Lo Duca made it 4-0 in the fourth with an RBI single after Dave Roberts reached on Loretta's error and stole second.

Loretta had three singles for the Friars and is 10-for-28 lifetime against Brown. Burroughs, Matthews and Kotsay were the only other Padres to have hits, all of which were singles. The Padres had a chance in the first. Consecutive singles by Burroughs and Loretta to open the game, and runners on second and third after a stolen base, were stranded when Nevin struck out and Matthews lined out to Brown. It was the only real threat the Padres had on the day.

New addition watch:

Todd Sears, acquired from Minnesota, made his debut for the Friars and struck out for Jake Peavy in the fifth inning.

Old faithful:

Trevor Hoffman pitched the eighth. He allowed one hit, a single to Cora, walked one and struck out one. He has not allowed a run since returning to the lineup. It took him 23 pitched to retire the side, 13 of them strikes.

Denis Savage can be reached at [e-mail]