Kenta Maeda wasn’t overly sharp but at one point managed to strike out six batters in a row, which matched a career high. An unearned run appeared to have him bound for a tough-luck loss, but the Los Angeles Dodgers roared back to beat San Diego Padres, 8-2, at Petco Park.
Jhoulys Chacin labored through the first inning, walking Corey Seager and Justin Turner to put two on with one out. The right-hander managed to escape unscathed by striking out Yasmani Grandal and Cody Bellinger, but threw 32 pitches in the frame.
Yasiel Puig singled in the second inning but was erased on a forceout, and Maeda was stranded after knocking a two-out base hit into left field. As for his work on the mound, Maeda struck out the side in the second and third innings.
To that point the Padres’ lone baserunner was Cory Spangenberg on a one-out walk in the first inning. Bellinger clubbed a fastball to deep right field, giving the Dodgers a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning.
Bellinger’s homer resulted in the first run Chachin had allowed at home this season in 17.2 innings across two-plus starts. Spangenberg led off the bottom of the fourth with a double to right field, which was the Padres’ first hit of the night.
After getting Wil Myers swinging on a high fastball out of the zone, Maeda walked Yangervis Solarte on four pitches. Ryan Schimpf’s RBI base hit to right-center field tied the game, though also resulted in an out as Puig alertly fired a strike to third base to throw out Solarte by a mile.
Schmipf advanced to second base on the throw and later took third on a wild pitch, but was stranded. Chacin’s sacrifice bunt attempt turned into much more when Bellinger’s ill-advised throw to second base rolled into center field.
That left runners on the corners with one out, and Manuel Margot’s sacrifice fly gave the Padres a lead before Maeda could get out of the inning. Chacin retired Grandal, then was replaced by left-handed reliever Jose Torres.
Bellinger singled on the first pitch he saw, though nothing came of it for the Dodgers. Maeda was removed after issuing a leadoff walk in the sixth. Luis Avilan walked Solarte, struck out Schimpf, and gave way to Sergio Romo.
He walked the bases loaded but out of the jam without allowing a run. That proved key as Chris Taylor and Franklin Gutierrez combined for back-to-back singles with nobody out in the seventh. Andrew Toles followed with a bases-clearing double to give the Dodgers a 3-2.
Pedro Baez issued a leadoff walk in the bottom of the seventh, though Grandal caught Jabari Blash stealing, and Baez proceeded to retire the next two batters faced. Kirby Yates struck out Bellinger and Joc Pederson before allowing a single to Puig in the eighth.
Puig then stole second base and advanced to third on the poor throw. Taylor’s grounder to the left side hit third base, carrying into the air, which allowed Puig to score an insurance run. Baez, Grant Dayton and Josh Fields combined to throw a scoreless eighth inning.
They received some help from Puig, who made a leaping catch at the wall in right field to end the inning. Seager and Turner combined for back-to-back singles in the ninth, leaving runners on the corners.
Bellinger landed the knockout blow, sending a three-run home run over the center-field fence. Fields set the side down in order in the ninth, wrapping up the Dodgers’ win.
