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The Honolulu Advertiser
Updated at 12:40 p.m., Saturday, April 5, 2008

Baseball: Peavy shuts down Dodgers

By BERNIE WILSON
Associated Press

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

San Diego pitcher Jake Peavy delivers in the second inning.

DENIS POROY | Associated Press

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SAN DIEGO — Jake Peavy continues to dominate the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The reigning NL Cy Young Award winner threw a two-hitter for the first complete game in the big leagues this year, striking out eight to lead the San Diego Padres to a 4-1 win today.

Peavy (2-0) improved to 10-1 in 19 career starts against the Padres' biggest rival. Dodgers ace Brad Penny (1-1) went the other way, dropping to 3-7 against San Diego in 14 career starts.

It was Peavy's sixth career complete game and his first since Sept. 2, 2006, against Cincinnati. It matches the number of complete games by the Padres last year.

Peavy improved to 4-0 against Penny in six matchups. He held L.A. to one run, walked one and hit a batter.

While Penny allowed four runs on six hits in the first inning, a determined Peavy struck out the side in the first inning and retired the first nine Dodgers batters on 37 pitches.

Los Angeles didn't get a base runner until Rafael Furcal tripled into the gap in left-center leading off the fourth. Russell Martin hit a pop foul that catcher Josh Bard caught as he slid into the Padres' dugout, winding up on the second step. Dodgers manager Joe Torre came out to talk with home plate umpire Jim Joyce, and all four umps huddled. They eventually waved Furcal home.

The play was originally ruled an error, but later changed to a pop foul to the catcher, with the runner advancing on the play. Had Bard stayed on his feet, Furcal could have advanced only at his own risk.

The Padres did all their damage against Penny in the first inning.

After the big right-hander struck out leadoff batter Brian Giles, he allowed five straight singles, including RBI hits by Kevin Kouzmanoff and Khalil Greene. Scott Hairston hit a sacrifice fly and Bard an RBI single.

Penny allowed four runs on 10 hits in six innings, struck out three and walked one.