Clayton Kershaw turned in arguably his best start of the season but the effort was matched by Dinelson Lamet and a sloppy seventh inning led to the Los Angeles Dodgers suffering a 7-2 loss to the San Diego Padres.
An expected pitchers’ dueled played out as such between the starters, with Lamet (11) and Kershaw (nine) combining for 20 strikeouts.
For as dominant as Lamet was, the difference for much of the game wound up being his four-pitch walk of Austin Barnes with one out in the third inning. Mookie Betts blooped a double down the right-field line, and the Padres traded a run for an out on Corey Seager’s grounder to second base.
Kershaw began the night by retiring the first six batters faced. After Jorge Oña led off the bottom of the third with a base hit, Kershaw struck out the next three to preserve the Dodgers’ slim lead.
Kershaw’s biggest jam came in the fifth inning when Jake Cronenworth continued to be a thorn in the Dodgers’ side by leading off with an opposite-field double that landed just fair. He represented the Padres’ second baserunner of the game and their first to reach scoring position.
San Diego failed to capitalize on the opportunity and opponents fell to hitting below .100 against Kershaw with a runner in scoring position. Trent Grisham tied the game with a solo home run to lead off the sixth, and his pose after making contact drew the ire of some Dodgers.
Grisham exchanged words with players in the dugout as he rounded third base and hopped on home plate.
Kershaw pitched into the seventh inning but was removed with two on and one out. He tied a season high at 99 pitches. Going to Pedro Baez didn’t pan out — but largely in no fault to him — as Oña’s soft fly ball down the left-field line dropped for a go-ahead double.
The game then began to get away from the Dodgers as indecision by Max Muncy after fielding a ground ball at first base allowed just enough time for Jurickson Profar to slide in past the tag attempt. Muncy and Chris Taylor then failed to start a potential inning-ending double play, resulting in another run scoring when the throw from first base went into left fiel.
Fernando Tatis Jr. reached on a high chopper to load the bases, and an RBI single by Manny Machado and Austin Nola driving in another run on a force out put the game comfortably in the Padres’ hands.
Wil Myers greeted Josh Sborz with a solo home run in the bottom of the eight inning for good measure.
The Dodgers’ lead to the National League West is down to 1.5 games, and now they are in danger of potentially being overtaken by the Padres dependent on how the next two nights at Petco Park unfold. San Diego is in the midst of an eight-game winning streak.
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