Dodgers 5, Padres 2: Teoscar Hernandez delivers the big blow as saving for the real bullpen game pays off

Chad Moriyama 06/11/2025 Game Recaps Leave A Comment

After yesterday’s much ballyhooed blowout loss to even the series and all the inane discourse around that, the Dodgers and Padres played the rubber match this afternoon and it was a lot more like the first game.

Things were tight early, but Teoscar Hernandez came up with a big blow for the Dodgers to give them a lead that they never relinquished, as the pen was a bit shaky but really only surrendered an unearned run over the final five innings to back an effective Ben Casparius in a 5-2 victory.

That makes it a series win and a 3-3 road trip for the Dodgers.

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In a bit of a twist, it was Ben Casparius taking the ball today, and he started well by cruising through a 10-pitch 1st.

The 2nd, though, was parts unlucky and parts just frustrating. With one down he gave up three singles in a row, but was bailed out by a 99 MPH missile from Andy Pages in center to cut down the runner at the plate and keep it 0-0.

In a brutal stretch, Casparius then walked two of the worst hitters in the majors back-to-back in Jose Iglesias and Martin Maldonado to force a run in before getting the final out of the 2nd, putting the Padres up 1-0.

The flared singles don't worry me at all, but walking Iglesias and Maldonado is truly terrible.

— Chad Moriyama (@chadmoriyama.bsky.social) June 11, 2025 at 10:43 AM

He did settle back down after that, getting clean frames in the 3rd and 4th as he continued to stretch out into a starter: 4 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 2 K, 54 Pitches.

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Padres starter Randy Vasquez started about as well as one could hope, retiring the first five batters on just 16 pitches. At that point there was a two-out rally with a walk and single, though nothing came of it. Unfortunately the same could be said for a lead-off HBP in the 3rd, and then they went down in order in the 4th, as the Dodgers continued to frustrate against a pitcher who quite frankly is not very good.

Thought I was being dismissive and the Padres had like transformed Vazquez or something … but, uh. Anytime, boys.

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— Chad Moriyama (@chadmoriyama.bsky.social) June 11, 2025 at 10:50 AM

Fortunately, in the 5th a hero emerged in the form of … Michael Conforto. Out of everybody, it was him who smashed his fourth homer of the year to tie the game at 1.

After Vazquez got the second out, that was the end of his day as the Padres weren’t going to let him face the order a third time. They got out of the 5th, but the Dodgers put together a rally in the 6th. It started with a one-out comebacker that was bumbled for a Freddie Freeman “infield single”, followed by a Will Smith walk, and then a massive three-run homer from Teoscar Hernandez in the midst of his slump. His 11th of the year was the emphatic blow and gave the Dodgers a 4-1 lead.

For the Dodgers pen, things started with Lou Trivino in the 5th, and he continued his run of quality appearances with a clean frame on just 10 pitches. Jack Dreyer was next in the 6th, starting things off with a frustrating walk. He got a grounder next, which resulted in an out at second, but Hyeseong Kim threw it way off into the dugout for an error to advance the runner a bag. That proved relevant, as after a single followed to corner the runners, a sac fly made it 4-2 Dodgers with an unearned run being charged.

Kirby Yates then entered and got the final out of the 6th, which was surprisingly his only batter, likely due to being his third appearance in four games. Michael Kopech entered to start the 7th and struggled, as he started with a groundout then got squeezed on one walk and issued two more to walk the bases loaded. That brought in Anthony Banda, who has looked better lately and came up huge today by getting a pop-up and then throwing a quality 3-0 pitch to induce a groundout and pull off a great escape.

Tanner Scott then took over in the 8th to face the Padres’ best lefties, and he looked as good as he has all year, carving up the three batters he faced with a great-looking spray pattern.

This Tanner Scott spray pattern has me weeping. I used to pray for times like this.

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— Chad Moriyama (@chadmoriyama.bsky.social) June 11, 2025 at 12:39 PM

Unfortunately, the offense weren’t able to add on for a bit, as they managed just a two-out single in the 7th and stranded lead-off and one-out singles in the 8th. However, in the 9th it was Shohei Ohtani with a one-out triple that was driven in by a two-out Smith single for insurance that made it 5-2.

Alex Vesia then came in to close things out with a three-run lead and he struck out the side for an emphatic win.

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Chill.

If I can be petty for a bit, this makes all the crying over yesterday especially hilarious. Truly a tragedy they didn't use all these guys to chase like a five-run deficit. The integrity of the game was at stake.

— Chad Moriyama (@chadmoriyama.bsky.social) June 11, 2025 at 12:59 PM

The funny thing about getting blown out is it still counts as one loss and you don't get an extra loss for losing by a lot.

— Chad Moriyama (@chadmoriyama.bsky.social) June 11, 2025 at 12:59 PM

Look who got hot.

Over the last 30 days, not including today's 2-for-3 with a BB, Muncy is at .299/.424/.623/1.067 for a 186 wRC+ with a 18.2 BB% and 17.2 K%.

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— Chad Moriyama (@chadmoriyama.bsky.social) June 11, 2025 at 1:02 PM

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NL WestRecordGB
Dodgers41-28–
Giants39-28*1.0
Padres38-292.0

Well, the road trip is now over and they’ll get a day off as they return home to Los Angeles. As a reward, they’ll get a three-game series against the rival Giants, starting at 4:10 PM HT/7:10 PM PT/10:10 PM ET on MLB Network. It’ll also be a duel of aces as Yoshinobu Yamamoto will be on the bump against Logan Webb.

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