The sky was falling. The bottom had fallen out. The Padres had lost 10 straight and it looked as if no end was in sight. They had just been swept for three straight series and the Giants had pulled within a game of first place. They once again were written off by the national media. It was not a matter of if they would lose their lead, but when. So the Padres, now back to being the doubted underdog, did what they’d done most of the season. They won. And then they won again. For an encore they capped a sweep of the Dodgers with a three-hit shutout over their southern Californian rivals, to go back up two games on San Francisco, who lost to Arizona on Wednesday night. The Giants will venture to Petco Park for a four game showdown starting Thursday. Here is how the Padres fared against Los Angeles in this season saving series to start the week.

September 6^th, 2010 Padres 4 Dodgers 2

WP Mike Adams (3-1) 1.67IP 0H 0R 0ER 1BB 3K 0HR

LP Vincente Padilla (6-5) 4IP 5H 3R 3ER 1BB 5K 1HR

S Heath Bell (38) 1IP 0H 0R 0ER 0BB 2K 0HR

The Padres had their backs against the wall having lost 10 in a row. They were hoping to get their stopper, 22 year-old Mat Latos to end their longest skid since 2003. But Latos was a late scratch with the stomach flu forcing Bud Black to go with Tim Stauffer who threw 13 pitches the day before in a loss to the Rockies.

Stauffer didn’t disappoint throwing four strong innings, allowing just one run on four hits. He and six Padres relievers held the Dodgers to only two runs to give the Padres their firstb win in 12 days.

The Pads struck early when Nick Hundley hit his seventh homer of the season to deep center, to go up 1-0 to lead off the bottom of the third.

The Dodgers answered back when Andre Ethier singled in James Loney from second base in the bottom of the fourth.

Will Venable beat out an inning-ending double play with the bases loaded to put the Padres up, 2-1. Nick Hundley followed with an RBI single giving the Friars a two run lead.

Scott Podsednik hit a solo homer off Luke Gregerson in the seventh bringing Los Angeles within a run. Gregerson was pulled in favor of Mike Adams after serving up deep single to Rafael Furcal the next batter. Adams retired the next two to end the top of the inning. David Eckstein’s sacrifice fly in the bottom half of the inning gave them a 4-2 lead for good.

Adams pitched a scoreless eighth and was awarded the win by the official scorekeeper as the most effective reliever of the game.

Heath Bell pitched a hitless ninth with two punch-outs for his 38^th save in 41 tries.

September 7^th, 2010 Padres 2 Dodgers 1

WP Mat Latos (14-5) 7IP 4H 1R 1ER 0BB 10K 0HR

LP Clayton Kershaw (11-10) 7IP 5H 2R 2ER 1BB 6K 0HR

S Heath Bell (39) 1.67IP 0H 0R 0ER 1BB 4K 0HR

Mat Latos not only pitched effectively a day after being scratched from his start the previous day with the flu, he set a major league record. He became the first pitcher in major league history to give up only two runs or less in fifteen consecutive quality starts (five innings pitched). He also tied his career high in strikeouts with 10 and lowered his major league leading ERA to 2.21.

Adrian Gonzalez singled to left to start the second inning. Miguel Tejada and Nick Hundley sandwiched a Chase Headley strikeout with a pair of singles to load the bases with one out. But the Padres could only manage one run on an Aaron Cunningham sacrifice fly as Latos struck out to end the inning with the Padres up 1-0.

Adrian Gonzalez added another when he doubled to left in the third, scoring Denorfia.

Latos gave up consecutive hits to Scot Podsednik and Rafael Furcal for the Dodgers only run in the game.

Heath Bell struck out four in an inning and two thirds for his 39^th save of the season.

September 8^th, 2010 Padres 4 Dodgers 0

Corey Luebke (1-1) 6IP 2H 0R 0ER 1BB 7K 0HR

Chad Billingley (11-9) 5.33IP 6H 4R 4ER 5BB 6K 0HR

S Luke Gregerson (2) 1.67IP 0H 0R 0ER 0BB 0K 0HR

Corey Luebke was phenomenal in his second big league start, striking out seven Dodgers en route to his first big league win. Luebke gave up only two hits and a walk in six innings pitched. He and four Padres Relievers combined for a three hit shutout.

The Padres took an early lead using all the hallmarks of what go them into first place this magical season. And that would be run manufacturing.

Luis “Go-Go” Durango beat out a grounder to second base to lead off the third. He stole second base without a throw on the very next pitch. The Dodgers walked Adrian Gonzalez after Chase Headley struck out swinging. But Miguel Tejada grabbed the spotlight, taking a two-strike pitch to shallow center field, scoring Durango and advancing Adrian to third.

Matt Stairs walked to load the bases. But Yorvit Torealba grounded into a fielder’s choice to end the Padres inning with the home team up 1-0. Yorvit popped up to left field with the bases loade and two out to end the fifth also.

But the Padres broke through in sixth with a bloop single by Venable that landed just past third baseman Casey Blake and shortstop Rafael Furcal in shallow left. Everth Cabrera then beat out a bunt single to Billingsley.

David Eckstein then pinch hit for Luebke, ending his night after six innings. Eck bunted the ball in an effort to move the runners over, but everyone was safe as Venable just beat the throw to third.

This time the Padres capitalized when Durango blooped a single into left field, scoring Venable and Cabrera without a throw. Chase Headley then grounded to first baseman Russell Mitchell who started to turn a 3-6-3 double-play. But Mitchell’s throw plunked Durango in the back allowing everyone to be safe and load the bases again for Adrian Gonzalez.Adrian hit a sacrifice to centerfield to put the Padres up 4-0.

Luke Gregerson pitched a much needed inning and two thirds of hitless ball to get his second save of the season. The Padres sweep put them up two games against the rival Giants who they begin a four game series tomorrow at Petco Park.