SAN DIEGO (AP) — The San Diego Padres still haven't held a lead in three games against the Los Angeles Dodgers to open the season.
They came close, erasing a 5-0 deficit in the fifth inning Saturday night by taking advantage of a Dodgers' pitching meltdown. But Dee Gordon singled in the go-ahead run with two outs in the 11th and the Dodgers won 6-5.
It was Gordon's third hit of the night. He also walked twice, stole three bases and scored twice.
"We just couldn't break through or put any pressure on them after the five-run inning," manager Bud Black said.
A.J. Ellis, who homered in the fourth, started the winning rally with a leadoff single off Anthony Bass (0-1) and was sacrificed by Justin Sellers. With two outs, Gordon singled down the right field line to bring in Ellis from second.
Todd Coffey (1-0) pitched the 10th for the win and Javy Guerra pitched the 11th for his second save in as many chances.
The Padres scored five runs during a Dodgers pitching meltdown in the fifth. Three Dodgers pitchers combined to walk five, throw one wild pitch, hit a batter and allow two hits.
"I liked that we took balls and swung at strikes," Black said. "And they (Dodgers pitchers) were in and out of the zone that inning and we didn't help them. We didn't extend the zone. We made them throw strikes. We got back in it via the walk but the last run was a solid RBI."
Chris Capuano took a 5-0 lead into the fifth in his Dodgers debut but didn't finish the inning. He loaded the bases with two outs before walking Chase Headley to force in a run and bring out manager Don Mattingly with the hook. Capuano walked three that inning.
Jamey Wright came on and threw eight straight balls, issuing consecutive bases-loaded walks to Jesus Guzman and Nick Hundley, bringing the Padres to 5-3. Scott Elbert came on and threw a wild pitch that brought in Headley, and then hit Yonder Alonso with a pitch to load the bases again. Orlando Hudson singled in the tying run before the Dodgers finally got the third out by catching Nick Hundley in a rundown.
The Padres said the only other time they had three straight bases-loaded walks was in the fourth inning on April 5, 1984, against Pittsburgh, based on research by the Elias Sports Bureau.
Capuano allowed four runs on two hits and five walks in 4 2-3 innings while striking out four.
Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier each drove in two runs against Padres starter Dustin Moseley.
Kemp, last year's NL MVP runner-up, and Ethier each have six RBIs after three games. Kemp hit a sacrifice fly in the first inning and added an RBI single to center in the third. Ethier followed with a two-run double to center field to make it 4-0.
Ellis hit a solo homer to left with one out in the fourth, his first, for a 5-0 lead.
Moseley allowed five hits and five runs in five innings, struck out four and walked two.
NOTES: The Dodgers have beaten the Padres in 13 of 15 games dating to July 8. ... The Dodgers haven't opened 3-0 since sweeping the Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium from April 5-7, 1999. They last time they won four games to being the year was 1981, when the eventual World Series champions started 6-0. ... Before the game, the Padres honored coach Steve Fisher and the San Diego State basketball team, which won its second straight Mountain West Conference regular-season championship and advanced to the NCAA tournament for the third straight season. Senior forward Tim Shelton threw out the ceremonial first pitch. ... The series concludes Sunday afternoon with L.A.'s Aaron Harang, who was with San Diego last year, scheduled to face Padres lefty Clayton Richard.
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