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Padres suffered a damaging 7-0 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday night, as the National League West rivals met in a high-stakes series opener at Dodger Stadium. Los Angeles broke through with six of its seven runs coming with two outs, delivering a dominant performance against a San Diego club that had entered the game on a five-game winning streak.
Padres Stopped Cold by Dodgers’ Explosive Two-Out Rally
The Dodgers improved to 97-60 and moved within one game of the Milwaukee Brewers for the best record in Major League Baseball. Milwaukee remained ahead in the race for home-field advantage throughout the postseason because it owns the head-to-head tiebreaker over Los Angeles.
Los Angeles also strengthened its position in the National League playoff race. The Dodgers need one more victory, or an Atlanta loss, to clinch a first-round bye into the National League Division Series. Their victory was their fifth in a row and improved their September record to 15-5.
For the Padres, the defeat dropped them to 87-70 and ended a five-game winning streak. San Diego remains in a crowded wild-card race, tied with the Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies for the three National League wild-card positions. The Padres held a four-game advantage over the Arizona Diamondbacks with five regular-season games remaining.
Michael King Struggles as Los Angeles Seizes Control
San Diego starter Michael King was charged with the loss after being chased following four innings. The right-hander allowed five runs on six hits, struck out five and saw his personal four-game winning streak come to an end.
The Dodgers opened the scoring in the second inning after King retired the first two batters on only six pitches. Teoscar Hernández and rookie Josue De Paula followed with consecutive singles, and Andy Pages was hit by a pitch after recently returning from the injured list.
King then walked Tommy Edman and Mookie Betts in succession, forcing home two runs. Freddie Freeman added a two-run single, giving Los Angeles a 4-0 lead and putting San Diego under immediate pressure.
Betts later doubled and scored on another two-out single from Freeman in the fourth inning. That play extended the Dodgers’ advantage to 5-0 and highlighted the relentless pressure Los Angeles created whenever it appeared to be down to its final out.
Edman and Smith Deliver Powerful Home Runs
Tommy Edman added to the Padres’ frustration with a solo home run in the sixth inning. Will Smith followed with a 396-foot drive in the seventh, pushing the Dodgers’ lead to 7-0 and completing a convincing offensive display.
San Diego’s biggest stars could not provide an answer. Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado went a combined 1-for-7 with five strikeouts, leaving the Padres without the production they needed against a deep Dodgers pitching staff.
Dodgers Bullpen Completes Historic Shutout
Los Angeles used a bullpen game, with Brock Stewart starting and Justin Wrobleski earning the win. Wrobleski improved to 12-5 after helping guide the Dodgers through a shutout that required eight pitchers.
The performance marked only the fifth shutout in franchise history in which the Dodgers used at least eight pitchers. Reliever Edwin Díaz struck out two batters in a scoreless inning, while Roki Sasaki returned from the injured list and touched 100 mph with his four-seam fastball during his one inning of work.
Sasaki had missed nearly a month because of a blister on his right middle finger. His return gives Los Angeles another important option as the club prepares for the postseason stretch.
What Comes Next for the Padres
The Padres will try to respond in the next game of the series with left-hander Robbie Ray scheduled to start. Ray entered the matchup at 13-8 with a 3.60 earned-run average.
The Dodgers will counter with right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who carried a 14-8 record and a 2.51 ERA into the scheduled start. With the playoff race tightening, the matchup could have major implications for San Diego’s wild-card hopes and Los Angeles’ pursuit of the league’s top record.
As reported by the Associated Press and ESPN, Tuesday’s result showcased the sharp contrast between the two clubs: the Dodgers converted crucial two-out opportunities, while the Padres struggled to generate offense against a deep and flexible pitching attack.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the final score between the Padres and Dodgers?
The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the San Diego Padres 7-0 in the series opener at Dodger Stadium.
How did the Dodgers score six two-out runs?
Los Angeles scored four runs in the second inning, added another in the fourth, and received home runs from Tommy Edman and Will Smith later in the game. Six of the Dodgers’ seven runs came with two outs.
Who was the winning pitcher?
Justin Wrobleski earned the victory for Los Angeles, improving to 12-5. The Dodgers used eight pitchers in the shutout.
What does the loss mean for the Padres?
San Diego fell to 87-70 but remained tied with Chicago and Philadelphia for the three National League wild-card spots. The Padres still held a four-game cushion over Arizona with five games left.
