Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
Finally granting me a blowout for my recap, the Los Angeles Dodgers easily dispatched the San Diego Padres, 12-2, on Friday night at Dodger Stadium.
Already trailing the Dodgers (21-16) in the NL West standings, the Padres (18-20) have now dropped six straight games to slip under .500. Like Sunday, Corey Seager served a key role in the destruction of San Diego as his third-inning grand slam broke the game open.
Leading 1-0 after Justin Turner hit his eighth home run of the year to lead off the inning against Dinelson Lamet, the Dodgers loaded the bases against the Padres’ starter in the third. Matrix Muncy drove in one with a bases-loaded walk before Seager hit a rally-killing slam.
“Our goal is to improve each and every day,” a hitless Muncy told the Los Angeles Chronicle, apparently now the virtual clubhouse leader as the four Dodgers with multiple hits declined to speak.
That ended Lamet’s day after just 2 1/3 IP, having allowed five hits and four walks leading to six runs. One more run came across in the fourth off Michel Baez, pushing the lead back to 7-2 after Manny Machado brought home San Diego’s only runs of the game with a two-run shot off of Clayton Kershaw.
Granted plenty of run support early on, Kershaw worked through 6 1/3 IP on 103 pitches and moved to 6-0 this season. Striking out nine while walking none, Kershaw scattered the seven hits with only two going for extra bases, a double by what appears to be former Dodger Russell Martin and Machado’s aforementioned home run.
Back on the Dodgers’ offensive side, both Seager and Turner hit their second home runs of the day in the fifth off of Adrian Morejon to push the lead up to 10-2. Now up to a .284 batting average and six home runs, Seager finished Friday’s game with five RBIs thanks to his pair of home runs. All six of his homers have come in the past 17 days after hitting his first of the year on April 22.
Enrique Hernandez hit for Seager in the seventh and connected on his own homer off of Matt Strahm, the first of the year for the Dodgers’ utility man. Code Bellinger wrapped up the scoring in the eighth when his double drove in Gavin Lux, who finished 3-for-4 with a walk and three runs scored.
Ross Stripling closed out the game, needing 37 pitches to take care of the final 2 2/3 IP. Stripling struck out one and allowed just one hit as his ERA sits at 1.06.
David Price will hope to keep the Padres’ losing streak alive Saturday night at Dodger Stadium as he comes off his best start of the season last Sunday in San Diego. Opposing him will be Joey Lucchesi, who the Dodgers did not see in last weekend’s series.
