It’s Ted Lilly to the rescue: left-hander retires last 20 Padres he faces

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They limped in, counting healthy bodies, trying their best not to do their Eeyore imitation, missing their shortstop, and asked the new guy to lead them from their deep funk.

And Ted Lilly responded. Like right out of the dreams of General Manager Ned Colletti. Responded better than anyone had right to imagine.

Behind a brilliant Dodgers debut by Lilly, the Dodgers used a two-run double by Russell Martin to edge the Padres, 2-1, Tuesday and snap their six-game losing streak.

Lilly, who came over in a trade-deadline deal on Saturday from the Cubs, looked like much more than a fifth starter.

Then the Dodgers got their expected results from the eighth-ninth inning combo of Hong-Chih Kuo and Jonathan Broxton, who earned his 21st save.

The game began with the news that shortstop Rafael Furcal was out with a strained lower back. Furcal had back surgery in 2008. He is called day-to-day.

And then the only thing Lilly did get wrong was his start.

The second batter Lilly faced, new Padres shortstop Miguel Tejada, lined a solo home run into the Dodgers bullpen.

The next batter, Adrian Gonzalez, singled sharply to left. For a moment, it was looking like Lilly’s debut was going to go all wrong.

Except he never did allow another baserunner.

Lilly retired the next 20 batters. For the rest of the game, he was masterful.

The Padres didn’t even come close to another hit. Lilly went seven innings, holding the Padres to two hits. He struck out five and did not walk a batter.

The Dodgers gave Lilly the lead with two runs against Mat Latos in the second.

Matt Kemp led off with a walk, and one out later, Casey Blake walked. Martin then lined a double to center to score both.

Martin went to third on a Latos wild pitch and tried to tag on a Jamey Carroll fly to shallow right, but was thrown out at the plate by Chris Denorfia. Martin might have slid under the tag, but came in standing up.

He hit the plate somewhat awkwardly, possibly clipping the back of catcher Nick Hundley’s foot, and landed hard and stiff on his left leg, stumbling to the ground. He remained in the game, however, until the eighth inning.

Latos (11-5), who had won six consecutive decisions and 10 of his last 11, went six innings for the Padres. He allowed the two runs on four hits and two walks. He struck out six.

Lilly (4-8) was oddly lifted for a pinch hitter in the eighth, despite having thrown only 87 pitches and retired the last 20 Padres.

-- Steve Dilbeck