The Padres have a chance to take the series from the division-leading Dodgers despite Saturday’s 5-0 loss at Petco Park.
The Dodgers bounced back from Friday’s series-opening loss with the long ball. Freddie Freeman and Teoscar Hernandez provided all the offense with the big blow coming from Hernandez on a two-out grand slam in the sixth inning.
Starter Matt Waldron left the game in the sixth trailing 1-0, having just issued a one-out walk to Shohei Ohtani. But Adrian Morejon, after retiring Freeman on a fly ball, had trouble with his control. Ohtani moved to second on a balk, and Morejon then walked Will Smith and Max Muncy.
The reliever gave way to Enyel De Los Santos, who had Hernandez down 1-2 only to give up the grand slam for a 5-0 Dodger lead.
“The biggest, troubling thing is the walks,” manager Mike Shildt said.
The Padres had six hits, two by Fernando Tatis Jr., but were unable to muster much of an attack against a quartet of Dodger pitchers, led by starter James Paxton who got the win.
One high note: the Padres recorded a new single-game attendance record for Petco Park on Saturday – 46,701.
The Friars broke L.A.’s win seven-game streak Friday with a walk-off 2-1 win thanks to a single by Luis Arraez to drive in Tyler Wade. Wade had run for Luis Campusano after the catcher led off the bottom of the ninth with a double.
In Sunday’s finale, Yu Darvish takes on Walker Buehler, who recently returned to the Dodgers after missing all of 2023. Also, a warning for ticket holders hoping to get a glimpse of Ohtani: L.A. also announced after the game that his back had tightened up, leaving him unlikely for Sunday’s game.
The Rockies follow L.A. to finish off the home stand.