The Los Angeles Dodgers erased a five-run deficit to defeat the San Diego Padres, 13-7, and earn a series win at Petco Park on Monday. The team was held scoreless by Seth Lugo through three innings before exploding for eight runs in the top of the fourth.
The scoring began when David Peralta drove in Freddie Freeman with an RBI double. Jason Heyward followed suit with a two-run double that cut the deficit to 5-3.
After Miguel Rojas pulled the Dodgers to within one with an RBI single, Mookie Betts cleared the bases with his sixth career grand slam and gave L.A. a decided lead. It was the Dodgers’ 11th grand slam of the season, which tied the 2021 team for the most in franchise history.
Betts’ grand slam chased Lugo from the game, whose final line was 3.1 innings pitched, eight hits, eight runs, two walks and two strikeouts. The right-hander later said that he suspected the Dodgers were stealing signs from second base.
Manager Dave Roberts was taken aback by Lugo’s accusations and denied any wrongdoing, per Jack Harris of the L.A. Times:
“I heard a little of that,” manager Dave Roberts said of Lugo’s comments. “It’s surprising coming from him. It sounds like an excuse.”
Freddie Freeman, David Peralta and Jason Heyward also refuted Lugo’s claim that the Dodgers stole signs from second base:
Said first baseman Freddie Freeman: “That’s news to me.”
Outfielder David Peralta: “I don’t know what he’s talking about.”
Outfielder Jason Heyward: “If that’s what he wants to put out there, then cool, I guess.”
Peralta offered an explanation for the Dodgers’ success against Lugo, saying all of the pitches they hit were down the middle of the plate:
“If you see all his pitches we hit,” Peralta said, “they were right in the middle.”
While the Dodgers denied stealing signs from second base, doing so is perfectly legal as long as advanced technology isn’t involved. The practice has become more difficult since the PitchCom system was introduced last year.
Dodgers history of sign-stealing accusations
Lugo joins a growing list of players and coaches who have accused the Dodgers of stealing signs in recent years. Back in 2019, former New York Mets manager Mickey Callaway, bench coach Jim Riggleman and Noah Syndergaard suggested L.A. knew what pitches were coming.
The Milwaukee Brewers also accused the Dodgers of stealing signs during the 2018 National League Championship Series.
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