Padres 3, Dodgers 1

This makes five in a row against the Pods and 20 of 29 since the start of last year. Dodgers might have taken this one in 11 if not for a baserunning gaffe by Russell Martin, who inexplicably tried to steal third on a 3-1 pitch to Jeff Kent with one out. Kent walked, but Martin was thrown out easily. Took them right out of the inning. And then, Brett Tomko took them right out of the game. Raise your hand if you saw that coming. Hits to three of the first four batters he faced (the guy he retired was bunting). Gives new meaning to the phrase GAME OVER. Dodgers fall to 45-36 and two games behind the Pods (and still a half-game behind the D-backs). ... Oh, by the way, Houlton isn't going to start. He'll work out of the pen. Hendrickson is going to take Kuo's spot, but it only comes up one more time between now and the All-Star break. After that, it could be Mark Buehrle or some other person currently wearing the uniform of another club.