After rattling off five consecutive wins in the face of losing Clayton Kershaw to the disabled list, the Los Angeles Dodgers entered play stuck in a three-game losing streak. One of their losses came at the hands of the San Diego Padres, whom the Dodgers faced in the second of a four-game series on Friday night.
Despite shaking off his first-inning struggles in his previous start, Scott Kazmir again labored through another opening frame. Melvin Upton, Jr. led off with a single and soon after stole second base, with the aid of replay overturning an out call on Kazmir’s pickoff attempt.
Wil Myers immediately cashed in on the Padres’ opportunity with a runner in scoring position by hitting an RBI single. Yangervis Solarte and Derek Norris both walked with two outs to load the bases.
The Dodgers then caught a break as Alexei Ramirez grounded to Chase Utley, who was interfered with by Norris, costing San Diego a run on the force out. Kazmir limited the damage to one run by retiring Alex Dickerson.
Andrew Cashner quickly retired the first two batters faced before giving up a game-tying solo home run to Justin Turner. After an Adrian Gonzalez single, Yasiel Puig hit an RBI double to give the Dodgers a 2-1 lead.
Gonzalez, not the most fleet of foot, largely managed to score from first base because the throw to home plate was up the line. Yasmani Grandal followed with a rocket of a two-run homer before Cashner could get out of the inning.
Cashner singled in the second with one out and moved into scoring position on a wild pitch. That wound up making no difference as Upton Jr. hit a two-run homer to cut the Dodgers’ lead to 4-3.
Kazmir issued a walk before retiring the next two batters faced.
Though, he was at 62 pitches through two innings. He started the third with a strikeout, then allowed consecutive singles to Ramirez and Dickerson. Kazmir ended the 23-pitch inning by catching Adam Rosales and Cashner looking to strike out the side.
Cashner ran into more trouble in the bottom of the third, walking Gonzalez and giving up a single to Puig. Grandal cleared the bases with his second home run of the night, as his three-run blast pushed the lead to 7-3.
Grandal’s multi-home run game was the fifth of his career. Howie Kendrick gave the Dodgers back-to-back homers with his solo shot to right-center field. Scott Van Slyke pinch-hit for Kazmir and popped out.
Cashner walked Utley with two outs and was replaced by Paul Clemens, who struck out Corey Seager to end the inning. Louis Coleman took over in the fourth and had his second pitch hit for a home run by Upton Jr.
Myers singled but was caught stealing soon after, with the Dodgers this time benefitting from replay as the out call was upheld. Coleman then retired Matt Kemp and Solarte to keep the Dodgers’ lead 8-4.
After leading off the bottom of the fourth with a double, Turner advanced to second base on an errant pickoff attempt, and one batter later scored on Puig’s sacrifice fly. Coleman allowed consecutive base hits with none out in the fifth and was replaced by J.P. Howell.
That did little to slow the Padres’ momentum, as Dickerson singled to load the bases. A Rosales sacrifice fly and Brett Wallace RBI infield single cut the Dodgers’ lead to 9-6. Upton Jr. reached on a bloop single to again load the bases and knock Howell out of the game.
Pedro Baez entered and needed all of one pitch to induce an inning-ending 1-2-3 double play. Baez worked around a double in the sixth, and retired the Padres in order in the seventh to finish his night with a career-high 2.3 innings.
Perhaps more importantly, he didn’t allow a run during his appearance. Grandal added to his big night in the bottom of the seventh by clubbing a solo home run for his third homer on the night. It was the Dodgers’ second three-home run game this season, joining Corey Seager (June 3), and first of Grandal’s career.
Along with Grandal, Roy Campanella and Mike Piazza are the only Dodgers catchers with a three-homer game. What’s more, Grandal was 4-for-4 at point, which included a bunt single. Puig drew a walk in the eighth to give Grandal an opportunity at a fourth home run, but he settled for a single and a career-high five hits.
Despite it not being a save situation, Kenley Jansen was used in the ninth and he got through the inning without issue to wrap up the Dodgers’ 10-6 victory.
