The Los Angeles Dodgers received an early home run from J.D. Martinez and contributions from Will Smith and Caleb Ferguson in a 4-2 win over the San Diego Padres on Saturday.
The Dodgers improved to 4-1 against the Padres this season and now are in position to complete a series sweep. Moreover, L.A. has won five consecutive series and has an eight-game winning streak at Dodger Stadium.
They fell into an early deficit when Juan Soto lined a solo home run off Julio Urías in the first inning, but immediately responded. After a fly ball to center field dropped between three Padres players with two outs, J.D. Martinez hammered an 0-2 pitch from Joe Musgrove for a three-run home run.
After a Freddie Freeman leadoff double in the bottom of the third, Smith extended the Dodgers’ lead with an RBI single that got by a diving Ha-Seong Kim.
J.D. for three! 💣 pic.twitter.com/3Cd0n6vVzR
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) May 13, 2023
POV: you're just *inches* away from career home run number 300
📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/mFAfmv5OEe
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) May 14, 2023
Will Smith tacks on another run for LA 😤
📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/lp3jvTk2Up
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) May 14, 2023
The @Dodgers get the double play to get out of the inning!
📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/u3y45bJKhs
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) May 14, 2023
Ballgame!
A strikeout secures the @Dodgers win 👏 pic.twitter.com/I5rfGrQfiU
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) May 14, 2023
The Dodgers failed to add onto their lead after that but Julio Urías and the bullpen kept the Padres at bay. Urías allowed a solo home run to Kim in the second inning but San Diego didn’t muster another hit until Soto’s infield single in the sixth.
That put runners at the corners with one out, which Urías worked out of by showing some agility off the mound for an inning-ending double play.
Caleb Ferguson saves game for Dodgers
Despite completing a five-out save in the series opener, Evan Phillips made a second consecutive appearance. He retired the side in order in the eighth inning, but Brusdar Graterol was unable to get through the ninth.
Graterol retired the first two batters faced before allowing an infield single and base hit, which led to Caleb Ferguson entering to face Jake Cronenworth. Ferguson struck Cronenworth out to convert his third career save and first since 2018.
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