The Dodgers showed the Padres who truly runs the West, as they secured their first three-game sweep of San Diego since May 2023, winning the finale by a 5-4 final score.
Tyler Glasnow got off to a soaring start to his afternoon, as he worked around a Luis Arraez double to strike out the side in the top of the first inning, getting both Manny Machado and Jackson Merrill looking after the double.
Just like Dylan Cease on Saturday, the Dodgers
made life difficult for Yu Darvish, as Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts reached base to lead things off. After Darvish got Will Smith to line out to right field for the first out, Freddie Freeman muscled a sinker down the middle into the right center field seats for a three-run home run, giving the Dodgers their second three run first inning in as many games.
The pencil bat power is real for Andy Pages, as he followed Freeman with a solo home run of his own to give the Dodgers a four run inning against Darvish. It was Pages’ 16th consecutive home run hit at home, marking a new franchise record. Darvish would finish his inning with a strikeout of Michael Conforto, but not before tossing 31 pitches, making it two straight games where a Padres starter needed at least 30 pitches in the opening frame.
Glasnow continued his terror against San Diego by striking out Xander Bogaerts to begin the second inning, making his first four outs all via the strikeout. He wrapped up a quick 1-2-3 inning on just 13 pitches. After Darvish allowed a leadoff walk to Alex Freeland, but recovered to retire the side in order. Darvish was perfect after the leadoff walk, ending his outing retiring nine straight hitters while striking out four over that span.
After a leadoff walk to Jake Cronenworth in the top of the third inning, Freddy Fermin lined one off the right center field wall. Andy Pages played the bounce perfectly, and fired a dart to nab Fermin at second base. The assist from Pages proved pivotal, as Fernando Tatis Jr. lined a double to right center to bring home the Padres’ first run since Friday’s series opener.
After retiring the next five hitters in order, Glasnow served an opposite field home run to Laureano for his second home run of the series, cutting the Dodger lead in half. The Padres kept the pressure on Glasnow as they put the potential tying run on second base with two outs, but Glasnow got Machado to ground out to second base to complete five full innings of work. Glasnow kept his command in check, as he allowed just one walk, and since returning from injury, he has struck out 49 hitters over 39 2/3 innings.
Anthony Banda came in for Glasnow to begin the top of the sixth inning to face the left-handed hitters in the middle of the Padres lineup. Banda failed to get the lefties out, as Gavin Sheets lined a double down the left field line, before Ryan O’Hearn found the right field corner for an RBI double of his own to cut the lead down to one.
Jason Adam sent the Dodgers hitless over their last 16 plate appearances since the Pages home run, but the Dodgers were able to finally put runners on base with a pair of two-out singles from Teoscar Hernández and Pages, but pinch hitter Alex Call struck out swinging against Adrián Morejón.
The Padres once again threatened in the seventh inning against Blake Treinen, as Luis Arraez singled before stealing two bases to put the tying run at third base. Treinen managed to preserve the lead by inducing a groundout from Sheets. Alexis Díaz was the next man up from the Dodger bullpen, plunking Bogaerts to begin the eighth inning before serving a double from Laureano to put both the tying and go-ahead runs in scoring position. Alex Vesia came in relief to face Cronenworth, but Mike Shildt countered by having the righty Jose Iglesias as a pinch hitter. Shildt’s decision paid off, with Iglesias bringing home the tying run on an RBI groundout.
The tie didn’t last very long, as Mookie Betts ambushed a go-ahead solo home run for his lone hit of the weekend series, giving the Dodgers the lead. Vesia retired the side in order to give the Dodgers a three-game sweep of the Padres, their first since July 1-3 against the Chicago White Sox. The Dodgers are now 8-2 against San Diego this season and now maintain a two game lead in the NL West.
Game particulars
- Home runs— Freddie Freeman (15), Andy Pages (20), Mookie Betts (13); Ramon Laureano (19)
- WP— Alex Vesia (3-2): 1 2/3 IP, 0 hits, 0 runs, 0 walks, 1 strikeout
- LP— Robert Suarez (4-5): 1 IP, 1 hit, 1 earned run, 0 walks, 2 strikeouts
Up next
The Dodgers are on the road again as they head out to Denver to take on the Colorado Rockies for a four game series beginning Monday (5:40 p.m. PT, SportsNet LA). Yoshinobu Yamamoto looks to rebound after a six run start against the Angels, and he faces southpaw Kyle Freeland.
