Don’t look now: Dodgers are hottest team in baseball after 4-1 victory over the Padres

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I know that team. Seen them before. On the way to a couple of National League Championship Series.

A Dodgers team that stumbled to an almost embarrassing start this season, has unexpectedly become the hottest team in baseball.

Saturday’s 4-1 victory over the Padres in San Diego was their sixth consecutive victory, eighth in their last nine games and 11th in their last 14.

Their latest win was keyed by another outstanding performance by starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw, some timely hitting and solid defense.

Kershaw (3-2), after his usual shaky first inning, was again dominating. After allowing a leadoff double in the second inning, he retired 15 of the next 17 Padres. The only other hit was an infield single.

He went seven innings, gave up three hits, struck out seven and walked two. This followed his last impressive outing on Sunday when he gave up two hits in eight innings and struck out nine.

The offense was productive without the aid of the big three -- Manny Ramirez and Matt Kemp each going 0 for 4 and Andre Ethier a late scratch with an injured finger.

But James Loney hit a solo home run, Jamey Carroll and Russell Martin added RBI singles, and Garret Anderson -- Ethier’s last-minute replacement -- tripled in one more.

They did not commit an error, turned several nice plays, got another save from Jonathan Broxton, and just generally played a solid, smart game.

Much like the team Joe Torre managed the last two years.

--Steve Dilbeck