Tony Gonsolin labored through a short start and the Los Angeles Dodgers continued to struggle against Blake Snell in a 2-1 loss to the San Diego Padres in Game 3 of the National League Division Series. The winner of a Game 3 in a best-of-five that was tied at 1-1 has gone on to win the series 72% of the time.
The Dodgers now head into Saturday’s game at Petco Park needing a win to avoid their franchise-best season ending in significant disappointment.
Mookie Betts tried to light an early spark for the Dodgers but his leadoff single in the first inning was followed by Snell striking out the next three batters faced. Snell had five strikeouts through two scoreless innings before running into some trouble.
Trayce Thompson’s leadoff walk and Austin Barnes single put two on with nobody out in the third, and Freddie Freeman later walked to load the bases with two away. However, Snell retired Trea Turner to escape the jam and keep the Padres’ lead at 1-0.
That was part of a frustrating night for Turner, who had a curious play at shortstop that narrowly was a misplay, and then inexplicably dropped a fly ball hit to shallow left field in the same inning. Turner was picked up by Andrew Heaney, who allowed a solo home run but otherwise fared well over three innings in his postseason debut.
With the Dodgers trailing 2-0, Thompson and Barnes were catalysts again in the fifth as a single and double put the tying runs on base with nobody out. Betts’ sacrifice fly cut the Dodgers’ deficit in half, but Turner and Freddie Freeman left the tying run at third base.
The Dodgers to that point were mired in an 0-for-17 drought with runners in scoring position. That streak was extended in the sixth inning after Max Muncy’s one-out double knocked Snell out of the game. L.A. didn’t have a runner reach scoring position after that.
The Padres improved to 3-0 this postseason when scoring first. Friday marked the first time all year the Padres won back-to-back games against the Dodgers.
Dodgers shut down by Padres bullpen
Continuing with a theme through the first two games of the NLDS, the Dodgers struggled against the Padres bullpen.
The Dodgers mustered just one baserunner — on a Turner infield single in the eight inning — against four Padres relief pitchers.
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