Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
The Dodgers and Padres played their second game of a four-game set tonight, but the biggest story to emerge from it was they essentially played through a huge earthquake.
Amazingly, both Eric Lauer and Enrique Hernandez seemingly just didn’t notice it even as the cameras at Dodger Stadium certainly did.
It seemed like that was the only thing that could stop the Dodgers from walking it off as they finally fell at home to the Padres in a 3-2 loss.
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As far as the game goes, Clayton Kershaw took the hill for the Dodgers and the Padres ended up striking first in the 3rd. A catcher’s interference and single set the stage, a double followed to plate a run, and a ground out plated another to give the Padres a 2-0 lead.
The Dodgers struck back in their half of the 3rd thank to some shoddy Padres defense. Austin Barnes reached on an error in right field, then Kershaw also reached after a fielder’s choice to try to get Barnes on the sacrifice bunt attempt. Chris Taylor followed with a single to drive in a run and cut the lead in half to 2-1.
In the 6th they managed to tie the game at 2-2, as Alex Verdugo doubled and got to third on a wild pitch, then scored on a Max Muncy grounder to first that Eric Hosmer whipped to the backstop.
Other than defensive failings, Lauer was impressive against the Dodgers yet again. He went six innings, allowed just four hits and a walk, struck out six and escaped jams in the 3rd and 5th with double plays.
Fortunately, Kershaw himself was also relatively sharp. He ended up going seven innings and striking out nine, giving up the two runs (one earned) on just five hits (one double) and a walk.
Interestingly, Yimi Garcia was brought in to preserve the tie game in the 8th, presumably because Pedro Baez and others were down but still. Anyway, he got two strikeouts and a ground out, but also surrendered the go-ahead tater to Hunter Renfroe with two outs and a 1-2 count. Due to what I can only assume is rest, Yimi also got the 9th in 1-2-3 fashion including a strikeout. Don’t have to like it but probably true and probably right.
Despite all the recent drama, the Dodgers could not push a run across the plate in the final three innings, which ended their streak at home.
Though Russell Martin did take this head-shot in the 9th.
Thankfully he seemed alright.
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The Dodgers fall to 60-30 with the loss and are now a mere 14 games up on the Rockies in the NL West.
The teams will do it again tomorrow night, hopefully without an earthquake, at 4:10 PM HST/7:10 PM PST/10:10 PM EST. Kenta Maeda will take the mound against Chris Paddack.
