Game 101: Dodgers vs. San Diego Padres 3:7

Make that seven in a row. Seven games in a row in which the Dodgers just can't do it. They sure can tease us, but they just can't follow through.

After giving up two runs in the top of the third, the Dodgers crawled back to life with a run in bottom of the fourth and the fifth.

Then, starting pitcher, Mark Hendrickson, realizing the game was getting too close for comfort, he decided to give up a couple more runs. Maybe Hendrickson is mistaken by the horrible play of the Dodgers since he came here from Tampa Bay, but somebody needs to explain it to him.

In fairness to him, he did pitch a quality start. Unfortunately, anything less than a shutout by our pitching staff isn't good enough these days.

The Dodgers closed the lead to 4-3 in the sixth on singles by Ricky Ledee and Toby Hall, followed by Cesar Izturis' RBI groundout to the right side. One out later, pinch-hitter J.D. Drew did his job when he lined a single to center -- but Mike Cameron did his job just as well, charging the ball and making a perfect throw to Mike Piazza to nail Hall at home.

Why they sent Hall is beyond me. It seemed more like an act of desperation-- just trying to do anything for a win. Hall is slow and was pretty much a sitting duck from the get go.

The Dodgers' catcher admitted he was the wrong guy running at the wrong time.

"You can't always pick who's on second base when you're hitting

a line drive," Hall said. "It was two outs, and if he makes a perfect throw,

you're going to be out nine times out of 10."

For the first time in 91 games, Kenny Lofton hit a homerun. It was his first while donning the Dodger Blue.

Unfortunately, it wasn;t enough as the Dodgers lost for the 12th time in 13 games since the All-Star break. The Dodgers have fallen six and a half games behind the NL West leading Padres.

"Everybody's pressing, trying to hit the three-run homer," Hall said.

"You can't try to do too much, but that's what this team's doing.

When it rains, it pours -- and it's pouring right now."

Olmedo Saenz started at first base for the Dodgers in place of Nomar Garciaparra, who sprained a ligament in his right knee in the 11th inning of Monday night's loss and is expected to miss at least five games.

Hendrickson allowed four runs and eight hits in six innings, dropping to 0-4 on the season as a Dodger. The left-hander has a 4.97 ERA in five starts since joining the Dodgers on July 27 in a trade with Tampa Bay.

"Besides the home run, he did fine. He kept us in it," said Hall,

who came to the Dodgers in the same trade as Hendrickson.

Lofton, who hit a career-high 15 homers with Cleveland in 2000, led off the fourth with a drive into the seats in right-center to trim San Diego's lead to 2-1. It was only his second homer since opening day of last year with Philadelphia, and his first since Aug. 30, 2005, against the New York Mets at Shea Stadium.

Ramon Martinez was 0-for-13 lifetime against Park before ending the drought with a leadoff single in the fifth. He scored the tying run all the way from first on Rafael Furcal's double down the left-field line.

Some thoughts:

1) At least Elmer Dessens pitched well. He pitched two scoreless innings for the Dodgers.

2) With the trade deadline looming, and the "veterans" injured for the most part, it seems if anything happens, we will be buyers, rather than sellers. Gosh, I hope we stand pat.