Final: Dodgers blow late lead, lose to Padres 4-2
After giving up four runs to the Padres in the top of the ninth, the Dodgers mounted a comeback bid in the bottom half of the inning.
Mookie Betts doubled. Trea Turner singled. And in back-to-back at-bats, the Dodgers had the tying run at the plate.
They couldn’t capitalize, however, after Freddie Freeman managed only a sacrifice fly and Will Smith WHAT to end the game.
The Dodgers are now 49-28 and lead the National League West by 3 1/2 games.
Final: Padres 4, Dodgers 2
Padres take the lead in the ninth off Craig Kimbrel, Yency Almonte
Craig Kimbrel couldn’t hold the Dodgers’ lead.
With one out in the ninth, Kimbrel took a comebacker off his back that led to an infield single. The Dodgers closer stayed in the game, but then gave up a high fly ball to Luke Voit that bounced off the top of the wall in left.
Gavin Lux gave chase, but lost track of the ball after it hit bounced away. The runner at first came all the way around the score.
In the next at-bat, Eric Homser ripped an RBI single to right, giving the Padres their first lead since the very first inning of this four-game series.
Kimbrel left the game before throwing another pitch alongside a trainer.
Yency Almonte entered but gave up a two-run blast to Ha-Seong Kim.
Mid 9th: Padres lead 4-1
Clayton Kershaw completes scoreless seven-inning start
For the third time this season, Clayton Kershaw pitched seven scoreless innings.
This time, the left-hander did it with eight strikeouts and only one walk. He stranded all four of the hits he allowed. And he threw a season-high 98 pitches.
His season ERA is now 2.57.
End 7th: Dodgers lead 1-0
Clayton Kershaw cruising, but Dodgers unable to extend lead
Last week, Clayton Kershaw said he simply “sucked” in a poor start against the Colorado Rockies.
Today, it has been a different story for the future Hall of Fame left-hander.
Kershaw is through six scoreless innings on just 82 pitches, and will seemingly get the chance to return to the mound in the seventh.
The only problem: The Dodgers have been unable to pad their lead since the first. They’ve left eight men on base. They also ran into an out in the fourth, when Mookie Betts was thrown out at home to end the inning.
Mid 6th: Dodgers lead 1-0
Dodgers take the lead, but leave bases loaded in the first
It didn’t take Mookie Betts long to rediscover his swing in his return from the injured list, lining a double in his first at-bat to lead off the bottom of the first.
Trea Turner looked immediately comfortable in the No. 2 spot, as well, driving Betts home with a double of his own in the next at-bat.
After that, the Dodgers got the bases loaded with two outs against Padres starter MacKenzie Gore. But Trayce Thompson struck out to end the inning.
End 1st: Dodgers lead 1-0
Mookie Betts returns from injury as Dodgers tweak lineup
Mookie Betts will make his return from a cracked rib Sunday, sliding back into his customary place in right field and leadoff spot at the top of the order.
It will be Betts’ first game since June 15.
The rest of the Dodgers order, however, has a new look to it.
For the first time this season, Trea Turner will bat second and Freddie Freeman will hit third — a move Dave Roberts hopes will maximize the production at the top of the order and enhance the team’s ability to manufacture runs.
“I had a conversation with all three of those guys,” manager Dave Roberts said. “And they feel great about it. To be quite honest, that’s kind of what their preference was.”
Roberts added: “Mookie and Trea love to get on base, love to score runs. Great tension. And Freddie ... he loves to drive in runs.”
There were other changes to the Dodgers order Sunday, as well.
Trayce Thompson was in center field instead of Cody Bellinger, the second time this week Bellinger has not started against an opposing left-handed starter.
Roberts said it could become a more common decision for not only Bellinger, but fellow left-handed hitters Gavin Lux and Max Muncy, as well, amid the emergence of Thompson the last couple weeks.
“There’s going to be times that, if I can get them a day [off] against the lefty and get Trayce Thompson in there, or somebody with some fresh legs, I think it makes sense,” Roberts said.
Chris Taylor and Hanser Alberto were also out of the lineup with injuries.
Taylor is battling a left foot contusion he suffered Saturday. Roberts said the outfielder was doing “well” Sunday morning, but that they would try to stay away from him in the series finale.
Alberto has been battling a knee issue, according to Roberts. The infielder had some pain relief treatment this week, so the team has been trying to give him a couple days off.
In other roster news, David Price was reinstated to the active roster after being away from three days with a family matter.
In corresponding moves, pitcher Ian Gibaut was designated for assignment and infielder Eddy Alvarez was optioned back to triple A.
Here’s the Dodgers full lineup Sunday, when Clayton Kershaw (5-2, 2.94 ERA) and MacKenzie Gore (4-3, 3.34 ERA) will be the mound:
With Mookie Betts’ return near, Dodgers set off early fireworks to beat Padres again
It wasn’t Yu Darvish’s worst outing atop the Dodger Stadium mound.
But as the right-hander got rocked Saturday afternoon by his former team, it sure looked similar to a certain November night five years prior.
In the first inning of their 7-2 win over the San Diego Padres, the Dodgers tattooed three home runs against Darvish.
Freddie Freeman launched a missile to right. Will Smith lifted a moonshot to center. Justin Turner stung a line drive to left.
Each one was met by a louder roar from the 47,061 fans and an increasingly enthusiastic reception in the dugout.
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For Dodgers and Dave Roberts, replay challenges this season have been ... a challenge
Dave Roberts initially misunderstood the question.
Asked Friday about his team’s struggles with “challenges” this season, the Dodgers’ manager thought it was in reference to his club’s overall performance, which has tapered off in recent weeks.
When it was clarified that the query was instead about replay challenges, Roberts corrected himself with a sigh.
“Oh, God,” he said. “That challenge?”
Roberts had reason to sound exasperated.
Through the first three months of the season, few managers in baseball have been as bad at getting calls overturned as him.
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Commentary: He made a name tossing peanuts at Dodgers games. That’s a no-no now
You can look up to the broadcast booth at Dodger Stadium, but you won’t see Vin Scully there any more. Next year, you won’t see Jaime Jarrín there.
You can buy a Dodger Dog, but Farmer John doesn’t make them any more.
And, from the list of disappearing Dodger Stadium traditions, this just in: You can buy a bag of peanuts from Roger Owens, but he can’t throw the bag to you any more.
This is an “Only in L.A.” story: the celebrity peanut vendor who can toss a bag of peanuts behind his back, or between his legs.
Owens has pitched peanuts at presidential inauguration festivities, on “The Tonight Show,” and in two movies and three television series in which his role was always the same: peanut vendor. His wedding guests included Tom Bradley, then the mayor of Los Angeles, and Don Sutton, the Dodgers’ Hall of Fame pitcher.