Padres Blank Dodgers, 5-0, To Earn Split, Increase Lead In West

Los Angeles, CA (Sports Network) - Chris Denorfia hit an inside-the-park home run and Kevin Correia tossed 5 2/3 scoreless innings, as the San Diego Padres defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers, 5-0, to split a four-game series.

Correia (8-7) gave up just four hits and walked one for the Padres, who now lead the NL West by two games over the Giants, who lost to the Braves earlier Thursday. The right-hander is 3-1 over his last four starts.

Tony Gwynn Jr., Yorvit Torrealba, and Chase Headley each had an RBI for the victors.

Chad Billingsley (9-6) went six frames in the start, allowing three runs on seven hits for the Dodgers, who have dropped seven of nine. The right-hander brought a 21 2/3 scoreless innings streak into the game.

The Padres scored all the runs they would need in the top of the fourth inning. With runners on first and second and one out, Headley hit an RBI single to center. Torrealba followed with a run-scoring base hit of his own. After Will Venable walked to load the bases, Gwynn hit a sacrifice fly to make it 3-0.

Los Angeles' inability to score started in the home fourth. With one down, Ryan Theriot singled and Andre Ethier walked. Correia, though, retired the next two batters to keep the Dodgers off the board.

Another great scoring chance was wasted by the Dodgers in the sixth. Scott Podsednik and Ethier singled to put men on the corners with two outs. Joe Thatcher took over for Correia and got James Loney to fly out for the final out.

LA put men on first and second in the seventh, but Ernesto Frieri got A.J. Ellis to ground into an inning-ending double play. The Dodgers went on to strand runners on the corners in the eighth.

San Diego added two more runs in the ninth on Denorfia's inside-the-park home run. Octavio Dotel walked Gwynn before Denorfia hit a bouncer down the left-field line. The ball snuck under the glove of Podsednik near the stands and rolled into the corner. Gwynn and Denorfia both crossed the plate on the play.

The Dodgers left men on first and second in the home ninth for good measure.

The Dodgers lead the season series with the Padres, 7-5...Los Angeles shortstop Rafael Furcal (back) missed the game...Correia improved to 5-3 lifetime against the Dodgers...Billingsley fell to 10-5 in 21 career games (17 starts) versus San Diego...LA went 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position and stranded nine.