Mattingly: Play with Purpose or the End Will Be Long

"We've got to continue to play with a purpose," Mattingly, whose team has dropped eight of 11 on the road, told the Dodgers' official website following Sunday's 6-3 loss to Arizona. "It could be a long end of the season if we don't play with a purpose."
The team had been fortunate in getting good pitching for the better part of last week. However, the series came up against the second-place, Diamondbacks, who promptly did away with that. The Diamondbacks' heart helped the team rally on Saturday night from a 4-1 deficit to defeat the Dodgers 6-4. Then, on Sunday, it was not close as the D'Backs, led by Gerardo Parra's two-homers easily defeated the Dodgers, 6-3. If the team "lets go" anymore, could we really see single-digit wins over the course of the month?

NEW-LOOK PADRES LOOK TO AWAKE OFFENSE
The San Diego Padres unloaded Mike Adams and Ryan Ludwick yesterday as part of the MLB Trade Deadline.

Adams leaves the Padres with 1.13 ERA; Ludwick left the team as the team leader with 11 home runs.

As it is, the Padres are batting .233, with a league-worst 3.5 runs per game.

Tonight, they look to snap a three-game losing streak against the Dodgers, who swept them at Dodger Stadium just a few weeks ago.

YOU STAY CLASSY, SAN DIEGO
Trying to regain his form is Padre starter, Cory Luebke.

Luebke, a left-hander, has lost his last two starts. In his latest outing, he allowed a career-high three home runs in six innings on Wednesday. The result: a 4-3 victory for the Diamondbacks.

In his last outing against the Dodgers, Luebke struck out five and allowed an unearned run in four innings of relief in a 4-2 defeat on April 8, the game that was rained out four times and stretched out to the following day.

TOUGH TASK AHEAD
Today marks the tenth time that the Padres and Dodgers will meet in 2011. The Dodgers lead the series 6-3.

The amazing fact is that the Padres have avoided Clayton Kershaw. That ends tonight though.

Kershaw is 1-1 with a 2.22 ERA in four starts against the Padres.

In his last seven outings, Kershaw is 6-1 with a 1.68 ERA in his last seven outings.

Kershaw has won a career-best four straight starts after throwing 6 2/3 innings and allowing just two runs against the Rockies on Tuesday in a 3-2 victory.

With a victory tonight, Kershaw will match his career-high in wins (13) that he set last season.

DODGERS vs. LUEBKE
1-for-15 (.067), 1 2B, 0 HR, 0 RBIs, 2 BB, 6 K, .176 OBP, .133 SLG, .310 OPS

PADRES vs. KERSHAW
19-for-79 (.241), 4 2B, 2 HR, 11 RBIs, 7 BB, 18 K, .299 OBP, .367 SLG, .666 OPS

HISTORY
4/8: Dodgers 4, @ Padres 2
4/9: Dodgers 4, @ Padres 0
4/10: @ Padres 7, Dodgers 2
4/29: @ Dodgers 3, Padres 2
4/30: Padres 5, @ Dodgers 2
5/1: Padres 7, @ Dodgers 0
7/8: @ Dodgers 1, Padres 0
7/9: @ Dodgers 1, Padres 0
7/10: @ Dodgers 4, Padres 1
Game 1: Today
Game 2: Tuesday at 7:05 PM; Hiroki Kuroda (6-13) vs. Mat Latos (5-10)
Game 3: Wednesday at 7:05 PM; Ted Lilly (7-10) vs. Tim Stauffer (6-8)
Dodgers lead series 371-345.

AROUND THE WEST
1. Giants (61-47) vs. Arizona Diamondbacks; Kennedy (12-3) vs. Cain (9-6)
2. D'Backs (59-49) @ San Francisco Giants
3. Rockies (51-57) vs. Philadelphia Phillies; Hamels (12-6) vs. Chacin (8-8)
4. DODGERS (48-59)
5. Padres (47-62) vs. DODGERS

Game 108

Los Angeles Dodgers
(48-59, 20-28 away)

San Diego Padres
(47-62, 22-34 home)

Monday, August 1, 2011
7:05 PM
Petco Park
San Diego, California

Condition: Mostly Clear Game-Time Temperature: 72 F (Feels like 69 F)
Humidity: 70% Wind: 10 NW

TV: Prime Ticket
Radio: KABC 790, KTNQ 1020 (Spanish)

LAST 10 GAMES:
LA: 6-4 (Lost 2)
SD: 3-7 (Won 1)

LINEUPs
Los Angeles Dodgers
TBD

San Diego Padres
TBD

STARTING PITCHERS
Clayton Kershaw (12-4, 2.72 ERA)
vs. Cory Luebke (3-5, 2.92 ERA)

OVER/UNDER: 5.5

LINE: Even

INJURY REPORT
LA - 15-day DL: Kenley Jansen (Heart), Juan Uribe (Groin), Jon Garland* (Shoulder), Vicente Padilla (Forearm), Jonathan Broxton (Elbow); 60-day DL: Hector Gimenez (Knee); Restricted: Ronald Belisario (Personal)
SD '" QUESTIONABLE: Will Venable (Back); 15-Day DL: Dustin Moseley (Shoulder), Nick Hundley (Elbow), Clayton Richard (Shoulder), Brad Hawpe (Elbow); 60-day DL: Joe Thatcher (Shoulder)
* denotes that player is out for season.