The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the San Diego Padres for a second straight night, slugging four home runs and hanging on for a 6-4 victory to clinch a series win.
Joc Pederson got the offense started earlier with a towering home run off Dinelson Lamet to open the game. The leadoff homer was Pederson’s ninth of the season, which breaks the franchise record of eight that he set last season.
Pederson’s night wasn’t done there though as he also hit a solo shot to center in the fifth inning. The multi-home run game was his sixth of the season and gave Pederson 35 total longballs, which is a career-best. He finished his night with a walk, single and sacrifice fly.
With Pederson now at 35 home runs, he and Cody Bellinger become just the fourth pair of Dodgers teammates to reach that threshold in a single season.
Chris Taylor was also responsible for one of the Dodgers’ home runs on the night, hitting an opposite-field shot in the second inning to give him 12 on the season.
The final homer came off the bat of Edwin Rios, and it was an absolute monster shot in the seventh inning to give the Dodgers the lead for good. The home run traveled an estimated 473 feet to right field, which is the longest home run of the season for L.A.
Rios has been outstanding in his short time with the Dodgers, batting .295/.404/.695 with four home runs. He is unlikely to make the postseason roster but certainly has left an impression on the big league coaching staff and front office going into 2020.
The Dodgers bullpen was stellar in closing out the victory, including a perfect inning for Kenley Jansen in the ninth. The save was Jansen’s 32nd of the season and 300th of his career.
