Three-run error helps Los Angeles Dodgers dump San Diego Padres

SAN DIEGO -- Nick Vincent made the same play hundreds of times.

The reliever picks up a grounder and throws the ball to first, the old 1-3 in the scorebook ... one of the easiest plays in the game.

But Sunday afternoon, with the San Diego Padres down by a run and the bases loaded and two outs in the seventh inning, Vincent picked up a roller chopped by the Dodgers' Andre Ethier and threw the ball over the head of first baseman Wil Myers for a three-run error.

The error sealed the Dodgers' 5-1 win over the Padres at Petco Park.

The Dodgers earned their third consecutive victory over the Padres and their 11th in 16 meetings this year while recording their 11th win in the 13 games overall. Los Angeles (78-58) is 20 games over .500 for the first time this season.

A second consecutive left-handed Dodgers starter, in this case Brett Anderson, shut down the San Diego offense.

Anderson (9-8) permitted four hits and four walks while striking out four before leaving the game with a left calf cramp.

The Dodgers didn't experience much of a letdown against the Padres after sweeping three from the San Francisco Giants earlier in the week at Dodger Stadium. Los Angeles took three of four in the weekend series.

"I feel like the guys were really good," manager Don Mattingly said of the way the Dodgers played against the Padres. "Obviously, that first one (Thursday) hurt, coming from behind like we did then letting it get away. But we seemed to be really steady. I really didn't feel any emotional letdown. I think they all know we have a long way to go.

"There's a lot of baseball to be played, and you just want to keep putting wins on the board."

The Dodgers remain 7 1/2 ahead of the second-place Giants in the National League West as they go into a three-game, interleague series against the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim. And by starting left-handers Alex Wood and Anderson the past two days, Mattingly has both Zack Greinke and Clayton Kershaw to face the Angels.

On Saturday night, Wood allowed three hits over seven innings in a

2-0 victory. Anderson wasn't quite as sharp Sunday, but he got the same result.

"Other than the cramp, it was a pretty good day," said Anderson. "My stuff was not very good, but I battled and kept us in the ballgame."

Catcher A.J. Ellis singled off the glove of diving Padres left fielder Justin Upton in the sixth, driving in second baseman Justin Turner to give the Dodgers a 2-1 lead off Padres starter Andrew Cashner (5-14).

The Padres had tied the score in the third on a solo homer by shortstop Jedd Gyorko, his third homer in the four-game series.

However, the decisive play came an inning later after the Dodgers loaded the bases with two outs on a hit batter and singles by first baseman Adrian Gonzalez and Turner.

Ethier, who drove in the Dodgers' first run with a first-inning sacrifice fly, topped the ball to the first base side of the mound. Vincent appeared to have an easy play, but he threw over the head of Myers, who came in from center to play first at the start of the inning.

Shortstop Jimmy Rollins, Gonzalez and Turner scored as the ball rolled down the right field line, with Ethier racing all the way around to third.

"I got there fine and had a good angle," Vincent said. "I went to ease over there and airmailed the throw. Usually, that is one of my strengths. I didn't set up properly and threw off the wrong foot. I make that throw nine times out of 10."

More like 99 out of a hundred.

"Nick did what we asked him to do," Padres interim manager Pat Murphy said. "It's unfortunate. If you asked me of all our pitchers, who would make that throw, I'd say Nick.

"But that throw didn't decide the game, it affected it."

The Dodgers scored the go-ahead run off Cashner an inning earlier.

Turner hit a leadoff double to left, and he had to hold at second when Ethier followed with a looping liner that just sailed past the glove of Gyorko for a single.

Turner advanced to third on third baseman Corey Seager's deep fly to Myers in center. Ellis then hit the sinking liner that ricocheted off the heel of Upton's glove for a single. Cashner subsequently turned a comebacker from center fielder Joc Pederson into an inning-ending double play.

The Dodgers scored in the first without the benefit of a hit. Cashner issued one-out walks to left fielder Carl Crawford and Gonzalez before hitting Turner to load the bases. Crawford scored on Ethier's sacrifice fly to left.

Cashner gave up two runs on five hits, four walks and a hit batter with five strikeouts in six innings.

Padres right fielder Matt Kemp extended his career-best on-base streak to 26 games with an eighth-inning double. He has hit safely in 24 of the 26 games.

NOTES: The Padres shut down RHP Josh Johnson for the rest of the season. Johnson will see Dr. James Andrews on Tuesday. Johnson, who has spent two seasons rehabbing from a second Tommy John surgery, left his first rehab assignment with Class A Lake Elsinore after four pitches Friday with pain in his elbow and forearm. ... The Dodgers promoted OF Chris Heisey from Triple-A Oklahoma City and designated LHP Daniel Coulombe for assignment from the Oklahoma City roster. ... INF Howie Kendrick, on the disabled list with a hamstring injury since Aug. 10, could be activated by the end of the week. Kendrick is running but hasn't resumed full baseball activities. ... Los Angeles' Justin Turner started at second base because Chase Utley banged up a knee sliding into second Saturday night. Rookie Corey Seager made his third major league start at third.