Dodgers can’t get close to Marlins ace Josh Johnson in 4-0 loss

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Suspense lovers, this was not your night.

Not unless you just love going with the underdog, holding out for the unexpected.

Which is what the Dodgers were quickly left with Wednesday night.

The Florida Marlins scored four runs in the second inning.

And that was that. A regular end of an L.A. story.

Now, normally falling quickly behind by four runs is a problem, but not the insurmountable type.

Only on this night, the Marlins were starting Josh Johnson. And if Johnson gets four runs, that’s your basic wrap.

Johnson hasn’t allowed more than two runs in a start in almost two months. He’s allowed four runs in one game only once all season, which was his first start of the season.

So with the Marlins scoring four times off Hiroki Kuroda, three coming on a rookie Mike Stanton home run, in the second inning, Johnson (9-3) went to work.

He did not allow a hit through the first four innings. He ended up going eight innings, holding the Dodgers to six hits and one walk. He struck out eight and lowered his earned-run average to 1.70.

Kuroda (7-7), coming off the worst outing of his career, looked as if he might not make it out of the second inning for the second consecutive start.

But the right-hander settled down after the second, going seven innings. He allowed six hits, struck out four and did not walk a batter.

Shortstop Rafael Furcal saw both his hitting streak snapping at 10 and his L.A. Dodgers record of scoring at least one run in a game ending at 12.

-- Steve Dilbeck