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Dodgers getting creative in the losing department, fall 5-4 when Jonathan Broxton can’t hold lead

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The Dodgers can invent new ways to lose. Really, they still can. Painful, almost unexplainable ways.

They came up with one Sunday, one they just may remember for awhile, in ultimately getting swept in a four-game series by the Cardinals.

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Despite a brilliant performance by starter Vicente Padilla (pictured at left), despite holding a 4-0 lead after seven innings Sunday, the Dodgers still left St. Louis without a victory.

The Cardinals scored three times in the eighth and then twice in the bottom of the ninth off closer Jonathan Broxton to stun the Dodgers, 5-4.

Broxton, appearing in his first game since Tuesday’s All-Star game, was trying to earn a five-out save on another blistering St. Louis afternoon.

After giving up a run-scoring single to Randy Winn in the eighth, he couldn’t finish off the Cardinals in the ninth. He threw 44 pitches on the day, reminiscent of his failed 49-pitch relief effort against the Yankees on June 27.

Broxton (3-1) surrendered a leadoff single to Yadier Molina, who was sacrificed to second. One out later, he walked Jon Jay before rookie Allen Craig singled in the tying run. Matt Holiday singled over the head of Andre Ethier in right to score the winning run, and the Dodgers had their latest crushing loss.

The meltdown wasted six shutout innings by Padilla. He also did not allow a run in the eight innings of his previous start against the Cubs.

Padilla is 3-0 with a 0.97 earned-run average in his last four starts. He also doubled in the Dodgers’ first run.

The Dodgers made it a 4-0 lead when they scored three times in the seventh on a Garret Anderson pinch-hit double, a wild pitch and a walk with the bases loaded.

-- Steve Dilbeck

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