One night after the San Diego Padres ended their four-game losing streak, the Los Angeles Dodgers looked to return the favor and end their three-game skid. Saturday’s game marked the first start for Adrian Gonzalez since he was removed Monday due to back tightness.
Cesar Vargas, making the ninth start of his career and second against the Dodgers this season, retired Chase Utley, Corey Seager and Justin Turner on six pitches in the first inning. Wood wasn’t quite as efficient, but he bookended a 1-2-3 bottom of the first with strikeouts.
Gonzalez led off the second inning with a base hit to left, but was erased at second base on a force out. With one away and Trayce Thompson standing on first, Joc Pederson beat the Padres’ shift with a bunt single up the third base line.
Vargas worked his way out of the inning on a strikeout of Yasiel Puig, and a Yasmani Grandal groundout. Melvin Upton Jr. reached on catcher’s interference to lead off the bottom of the second, then stole second base with one out.
A passed ball allowed Upton Jr. to advance to third base, but he was stranded as Wood retired Brett Wallace and Alexei Ramirez. Vargas worked around a one-out walk in the third to put another scoreless inning on the board. Wood struck out the side in the bottom half of the inning to give him six strikeouts to that point.
CONTINUE READING: Wood sets career high in strikeouts, game goes to extra innings
