The Los Angeles Dodgers had their eight-game winning streak snapped and they settled for a series victory as the San Diego Padres earned a 5-2 comeback to avoid being swept. The loss was the Dodgers’ first 13 games this season when they hit a home run.
That came courtesy of Chris Taylor, who ambushed a first-pitch fastball from Blake Snell for a two-run homer that reached the upper deck in left field. That was all Snell allowed but he got into several three-ball counts throughout the afternoon.
As a result he again failed to go beyond five innings this season. The left-hander did collect seven strikeouts in his first time facing the Dodgers since Game 6 of the World Series.
Trevor Bauer blanked the Padres and faced two over the minimum through three scoreless innings. His shutout was lost on a hanging breaking ball to Jake Cronenworth, which was hit for a home run to lead off the bottom of the fourth.
Manny Machado then singled with one out, his second of the game, but was stranded. Bauer quieted the Padres lineup outside of Cronenworth’s home run and Machado’s two base hits as he got through six innings. His day ended by getting Fernando Tatis Jr. swinging for a seventh strikeout.
Despite just returning from the 10-day injured list on Sunday, Brusdar Graterol was immediately thrust into a high-leverage situation in the seventh inning. “I trust him. He’s pitched in big spots already in his short career so whenever it makes sense to put him in there I’ve got no problem,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said before the game.
Graterol promptly allowed a leadoff single to Machado, who then into scoring position on a passed ball. Eric Hosmer then followed with a game-tying RBI double. Graterol was removed after issuing a two-out walk.
With the game still tied in the bottom of the eighth, Corey Seager’s throwing error on a routine ground ball put the go-ahed run on base to start the inning. That wound up costing the Dodgers as Hosmer delivered an RBI base hit up the middle.
Dennis Santana also allowed a two-run double to Tommy Pham before managing to get out of the inning. The hit was Pham’s first of the series.
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